Iron Widow Origins
by gangsta'sgirl
Summary: After the events of Civil War, Natasha returns to Stark's compound. She needs to figure out some things, and she, kinda, just needs to see Tony.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I love IronWidow, and this popped into my head. Enjoy, review, all that good stuff.**_

When Natasha finally makes it back to Stark's compound, (she won't call it Avenger's compound again, until he does) she's not surprised to find Tony in his lab. When she steps through the glass doors he glances up at her but doesn't say anything. As he turns his head away again, he nods slightly, letting her know that it's okay for her to come into the room. The bruises on his face have faded but there's an arm sling laying on a workbench and a flexible cast around his hand and lower forearm.

"Hand me the soldering iron will you?" He asks her with a nod towards the table nearest to him. She silently grabs the tool and hands it to him as he passes her a small torque wrench. She stands near him, waiting to see if he'll ask her for anything else.

After about ten minutes, he releases a sigh and steps back from the chunk of metal he'd been working on. He eyes her critically, from her hair down to her toes, and she lets him. She doesn't know what he's looking for, but she hopes he'll find it.

"Your boots and clothes are probably fine but you'll want to get rid of that nice jacket and pull your hair back. No jewelry, either." He tells her as he turns away and heads for a tall cabinet. Looking down at her motorcycle boots, skinny jeans, and black t-shirt, she shrugs slightly. Her green leather jacket is peeled off and placed on a workbench before she uses an elastic band from her wrist to pull her hair into a high ponytail. Any jewelry is quickly removed before she accepts a pair of welding gloves and a mask from Stark.

"The torches can be loud, plus the music, so are you okay with wearing an earpiece?" She nods in answer and he hands her a small device. It's about the size of an earbud. Putting it into her ear, she follows Stark to the back of his work area, surprised when a wall panel slides open and he presses in a code. The wall slides free and before them is a freight elevator.

They step on and for the first time, she wonders what they're going to do. But, she's trying to show him that she trusts him, that she's here for him, even when no one else is. So, she consciously relaxes her shoulders and takes a deep breath, the smell of metal and motor oil taking over her senses.

When the elevator stops, they step into a cavernous room and she can't help but let her jaw drop in amazement. There are three walls of suits. Models, she could tell. In the center was one of the largest and sleekest vehicles she'd ever seen. Or, it would be, when it was fully assembled. Holograms of tanks, jet fighters, and quinjets were pulled up all over the room.

"I started this project when I became Iron Man. I continued it in my free time, hoping to have a ground-to-air vehicle for the team that had no ties to any government or organizations."

"Tony." Natasha spoke for the first time but she had no idea what she could say. "I'm sorry."

"I know. Me, too." He says. "But, that's not all. Getting your sizes wasn't hard, and I already had my blueprints."

She can admit that she's confused at first but then Tony leads her over to one of the walls of suits. And now she can see that they're not all models. Some of them are capable of flight and some even more than that. One in particular stands out. The shape is distinctly female and it's painted all black except for a red hourglass symbol on the stomach.

"It's equipped with Widow's bites, among other things. There's also an AI but I figured you might want to finish the personality details. Since, it's your suit and your AI."

"Why?" She asks him as she lets herself step forward and run a hand lovingly down the armor. "Why do this for me?"

"Because you stayed." He tells her simply.


	2. Chapter 2 - Save Myself

**_I gave all my oxygen to people that could breathe, I gave away my money and now we don't even speak, I drove miles and miles but would you do the same for me, Oh, honestly? Offered up my shoulder just for you to cry upon, gave you constant shelter and a bed to keep you warm, They gave me the heartache and in return I gave a song, it goes on and on,_**

 ** _Life can get you down so I just numb the way it feels, I drown it with a drink and out of date prescription pills, And all the ones that love me, they just left me on the shelf, no farewell, so before I save someone else, I've got to save myself,_**

 ** _I gave you all my energy and I took away your pain, 'cause human beings are destined to radiate or drain, what line do we stand upon cause from here it looks the same? And only scars remain,_**

 ** _Life can get you down so I just numb the way it feels, I drown it with a drink and out of date prescription pills, And all the ones that love me, they just left me on the shelf, no farewell, so before I save someone else, I've got to save myself,_**

 ** _But if I don't then I'll go back to where I'm rescuing a stranger, Just because they needed saving, just like that, Oh I'm here again, between the devil and the danger, but I guess it's just my nature,_**

 ** _My dad was wrong, 'cause I'm not like my mum, 'cause she'd just smile and I'm complaining in a song, but it helps, So before I save someone else, I've got to save myself,_**

 ** _Life can get you down so I just numb the way it feels, or drown it with a drink and out of date prescription pills, And all the ones that love me, they just left me on the shelf, no farewell, so before I save someone else, I've got to save myself, And before I blame someone else, I've got to save myself, And before I love someone else, I've got to love myself_**

 ** _-Save Myself, Ed Sheeran_**

 ** _T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$_**

As he stands at the door to the gym, Tony can't help but watch the poise and grace Natasha holds. The music filtering in through the speakers is a strange mix of fast and slow. He knows that Natasha dances, that she learned ballet as a young girl, but he never figured her for a contemporary dancer. The past few weeks have not been good for him. He's been drinking too much, sleeping too little, and falling back into bad habits. Tony is conscious of his need to help others, his need to prove something, to make up for the bad his name and his company have done. And he knows that his reasons are not exactly healthy reasons. But then, who could ever say that flying around in a metal suit and busting bad guys was a healthy way to live?

Tony knows that Natasha knows he's there when her eyes catch his in the mirror on the far wall. She doesn't stop her dance, but it brings him out of his introspective thoughts. Tony recognizes the ballet steps incorporated into her routine; not the correct terminology, but the moves themselves. She lifts onto her toes and spins before leaning forward, her right leg extended behind her and into the air. Her ponytail almost grazes the floor and then she is straightening once more, only to go to her knees.

The music ends and she lays on the floor for a moment, letting her breathing slow. In a move that looks effortless, like everything she does, she rolls over and to her feet. Her face is completely free of makeup and he realizes that he's never seen her this bare. There's a certain strangeness to it, a vulnerability that he didn't think her capable of.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" She asks him as she grabs a towel from the bar on the wall and wipes her face, then stomach.

"I have a press conference tomorrow. And I don't want you to start thinking like Wanda did. About being a prisoner. But-" Tony honestly isn't sure how to phrase the question he wants to ask her.

"You want me to stay at the compound." Natasha finishes for him.

"I know you can handle yourself. That's never been a question." He tells her immediately.

"Tony, listen, I'm not a child." He opens his mouth but she only raises her brow and he closes it again, recognizing that look. "I understand the importance of public opinion and laying low. So, if you say you need me to stay here while you're gone, I understand."

He sighs lightly, and wonders to himself why everyone couldn't be this easy to deal with.

"But, Tony, I wanted to talk to you. About everything that's happened." Natasha sounding hesitant wasn't something that he had ever heard. Hearing it now was disconcerting.

"There's nothing to talk about." He quickly tries to brush it off, he really hates talking about feelings.

"Tony, I'm sorry." She blurts out, her concern bright in her eyes. "I never meant to hurt you."

With another sigh, Tony takes a moment and just stares at the floor.

"I'm not gonna lie. It did hurt." He finally says, raising his head to look at her. He wants her to see the sincerity in his own eyes. "But you came back. You're here now. And, I even understand why you did it. Let's just try to move forward."

Natasha nods her head slowly and Tony finds himself watching her ponytail bounce slightly with the movement. Shaking his head, he looks around the room before looking back at Natasha.

"How do you feel about a vacation?" He asks with his usual disregard for thinking things through. "I was thinking about how stressful everything has been, and I have a place in the Bahamas."

"I'm pretty sure they don't want me there, either." She replies wryly. "And what about Iron Man? Saving the world?"

"You're a master of disguise. Disguise yourself. Come on, it's the tropics. Beaches, shopping, fun, all that jazz. And I think that Iron Man can use a break. It's not like anybody wants to see him flying the skies right now."

"I'll think about it." She tells him with a hint of a smile. He feels like it might be a win. Like maybe they're getting somewhere and they can move past all of the lies and deceit between them since the first second they'd met. He knows that he can really use somebody in his corner after losing almost everyone he'd thought had actually cared about him. He'd thought they'd actually been his friends. Now, he realizes his former teammates barely knew him.

"Okay. I'll let you think about it. Just so you know, we would only be gone for a couple weeks. Doctor Foster and her assistant are supposed to be here next month and I want to be ready for them. Their files have already been sent to your email."

With a light-hearted wink, Tony turns away from Natasha's slightly surprised look. Yeah. Maybe they were getting somewhere.


	3. Chapter 3 - Human

**_I can hold my breath, I can bite my tongue, I can stay awake for days, if that's what you want, be your number one,_**

 ** _I can fake a smile, I can force a laugh, I can dance and play the part, if that's what you ask, give you all I am,_**

 ** _I can do it, I can do it, I can do it,_**

 ** _But I'm only human, and I bleed when I fall down,_**

 ** _I'm only human, and I crash and I break down,_**

 ** _Your words in my head, knives in my heart, you build me up, and then I fall apart,_**

 ** _'Cause I'm only human, yeah,_**

 ** _I can turn it on, be a good machine, I can hold the weight of worlds, if that's what you need, be your everything,_**

 ** _I can do it, I can do it, I'll get through it,_**

 ** _But I'm only human, and I bleed when I fall down,_**

 ** _I'm only human, and I crash and I break down,_**

 ** _Your words in my head, knives in my heart, you build me up and then I fall apart,_**

 ** _'Cause I'm only human, yeah,_**

 ** _I'm only human, I'm only human, just a little human,_**

 ** _I can take so much, 'til I've had enough,_**

 ** _'Cause I'm only human, and I bleed when I fall down,_**

 ** _I'm only human, and I crash and I break down,_**

 ** _Your words in my head, knives in my heart, you build me up and then I fall apart,_**

 ** _'Cause I'm only human, yeah_**

 ** _-Human, Christina Perri_**

Natasha has to keep constantly resisting the urge to run her hand over her newly shorn hair. With a slight shift, she let her eyes fall onto Tony where he sat across from her on his private jet. When she'd first walked into his workshop, the previous day, to tell him that she was willing to take a vacation, his eyes had widened but he'd, surprisingly, kept his mouth shut. Since her hair was only an inch or two longer than his now, she could understand his shock.

"What?" She finally asks him. They've been on the plane for almost three hours and they're nearing their destination, a small and privately owned island off the southern tip of the Bahamas.

"I'm just admiring." Tony tells her with a practiced smirk. "Why did you cut your hair? Not that it doesn't look great. You could wear a pillowcase and it'd be the new trend."

Natasha fights the urge to laugh, and instead schools her features into an unreadable mask. She lets her eyes drift over Tony, from his sneakers, to his casual jeans and t-shirt, and all the way up to his tousled hair. Only when Tony squirms does she relent and let her mirth peek out.

"I just thought it was a nice change. Disguises get boring."

"Okay." He replies. She notices the descent of the plane milliseconds before the pilot announces it. Her eyes drift to the plane window and she admires the bright color of the water. The blues and greens mixing in a way that only nature could do. She's traveled all over the world for various missions but she'd always been working. She'd never really taken in the scenery.

"We'll be taking a boat to the island itself." Tony voices as he too watches out the window.

Stepping from the plane, she raises a brow at the sleek, black Jaguar convertible waiting for them. She hides her surprise behind a pair of aviator sunglasses as Tony opens her door for her before rounding the vehicle and getting behind the wheel. She should've known he'd be a gentleman outside of work. A man in a Stark Industries uniform gets their luggage from the plane and loads it into the trunk of the car. After only a moment they're on their way and Natasha lets herself smile. She hasn't done anything solely for herself in so long, and she realizes now that she needed to.

At first, this vacation had been a hesitant agreement, something to make Tony feel better. Now, she realizes that it was something to make herself feel better also. She soon finds herself looking at the man next to her and grinning widely. When he looks over at her, he hesitates at first, but quickly returns her grin with one of his own. Not a grin for the camera, not a grin he uses on business associates or acquaintances. No. This grin wasn't one she'd seen, at least not directed at her.

Without warning, Tony presses harder on the gas and they speed down the road, wind whipping around them. He lets out a 'whoop' of excitement and Natasha laughs loudly at his antics. So many people in her life, including herself, barely acted human. And people didn't expect them to be human. They were expected to rise above that. To be smarter, stronger, better. And while Tony Stark was all of these things, he was also unabashedly human. And Natasha is starting to hope that he can bring those same traits out of her. She's been bled, and bruised, and bent by enemies and allies alike, but never has she felt more human than now, going almost a hundred miles an hour in a convertible with Tony Stark.

She's disappointed when the car begins to slow but she doesn't let it show because she knows that an adventure is waiting for her over these next two weeks. She's going to discover who she is, without her team, her partner, and her former agency. She is going to learn who Natasha Romanov can be.

Hopefully, she'll like her.

They finally reach the marina and Tony goes to talk to the man in the small office. Natasha looks around, enjoying the slight breeze that carries the scent of the ocean. After a moment, Tony comes back outside and walks over to Natasha. They unload the trunk of the car themselves since they only have two bags a piece. She knew that Tony would have the house fully stocked, he'd accept nothing less.

She steps onto the boat and puts her luggage under the bench seats in the back. Then she follows Tony a few feet to the front of the boat as he sits behind the wheel and fires up the engine. She doesn't pay attention to the time it takes them to get to the island, choosing instead to watch Tony as he drives, watch the waves, and watch the land behind them disappear.

Tony helps her off the boat when the reach the dock and her gaze travels along the area, noticing the beach house and the trees and vegetation surrounding the area.

"How big is this island?" She asks him.

"About 26 square miles." He tells her as he starts heading for the walkway that leads to the house. "There's a family that lives on the other side and they take care of this place."

As she takes in the surroundings, the white sand, and lush greenery, she mulls over the fact that other people, people she doesn't know, stay on this island as well. As if he knows what she's thinking, Tony turns to look at her.

"Don't worry, they're on their own vacation, visiting family."

She nods and lets him lead the way into the house. She can't stop herself from looking around in admiration. The ceilings are at least 16 feet high, the whole house is an open floor plan, and most of the walls are glass. Normally, she'd feel strange about that, but this was a private island, owned by Tony Stark, and she doesn't doubt that the glass is the same treated glass he uses in his tower. She's proven right when Tony speaks.

"Artie, windows at sixty-two percent."

The glass immediately lightens and the room looks even more spacious. Three of the walls are a light blue, the fourth one is a bit darker but not by much, and the wood floors are a light tan color. The front of the house is clearly a seating area with two white sectional sofas sitting across from each other. They make almost a perfect square, with gaps on the ends to allow entrance to the seats. Throw pillows cover the couches in shades of tan, blue, green, pink, and purple. She's not used to so much color in something owned by Tony Stark. He's flashy, sure, but this is different.

A little over halfway into the house, an island counter separates the seating area from the kitchen and dining area. All of the appliances are black and chrome but the counters are a soft white. Tucked against a wall to the side of the kitchen is a staircase. Tony leads her up into a cozy loft are that has a small table with chairs facing a wall of glass. It looks out over vegetation and the ocean. On the left wall of the loft is a short hallway that turns back towards the front of the house, where Tony shows her to the bedrooms. There are three rooms, a linen closet, and a bathroom. All three rooms come equipped with their own bathrooms. Natasha chooses a room that only has one wall of windows, overlooking the beach. Tony picks the one next to hers that has two walls of windows since it's on the corner of the house.

She marvels at her in-suite bathroom, loving the way the tub is large enough to swim in and the shower is in a corner of the bathroom but not walled-in. Instead, it's an open air shower, the water falling from the ceiling in a way that resembled rain. The shelves were built into the walls, holding bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. She notices a door on the far wall and opens it to reveal a small room that contains a toilet, sink and storage cabinets. Natasha walks out of the room to find Tony in the bedroom, looking out at the sky and ocean.

"You hungry? Tired? Amped?" He asks her as he turns slightly to look at her. "The kitchen is fully stocked with everything you can imagine."

"I could eat." She tells him. "Let me freshen up."

"Yeah, I probably should, too."

After he leaves her room, Natasha unpacks her luggage and chooses a bikini and a mesh cover-up that looks like a sundress. Her shower is quick but very satisfying, the water feeling perfect. Before she dresses, she rubs on some sun oil, intent on getting a tan during her vacation. She rubs a small amount leave-in conditioner into her hair, using her fingers to part and style the short strands. She keeps her face free of make-up since she's not going anywhere.

When she finally makes it into the kitchen, it's to see Tony with pineapple, strawberry, and mango slices skewered on wooden sticks. He fires up the small kitchen grill and lets it heat while he goes to the industrial size refrigerator and pulls out a pitcher of what looks like tea. He pours two glasses and hands her one before dropping the kebabs on the grill. He waits a few moments and flips them. Then he removes the kebabs, placing them on a tray, and motions for Natasha to follow him.

He leads her back outside and down the walkway. They come to a split and he turns, away from the docks and more towards the beach. That is when Natasha sees the small patio area with the table and chairs.

"You don't mind eating out here, do you?" He asks her and she tells him no. She doesn't mind at all.

The fruit kebabs are delicious, as are the Long Island Iced Teas. When they finish, Natasha grabs a beach chair from the area to the side of the patio and walks towards the beach. Tony follows her and as they sit down together, she thinks about how far they have come. How different their relationship is now. And how different it could be at the end of these two weeks.


	4. Chapter 4 - Angels Would Fall

**_The rope that's wrapped around me, is cutting through my skin,_**

 ** _And the doubts that have surrounded me, are finding their way in,_**

 ** _I keep it close to me, like a holy man prays,_**

 ** _In my desperate hour, it's better that way,_**

 ** _So I'll come by and see you again, I'll be such a very good friend,_**

 ** _Have mercy on my soul, I will never let you know, where my mind has been,_**

 ** _Angels never came down, there's no one here they want to hang around,_**

 ** _But if they knew, if they knew you at all, then one by one the angels, angels would fall,_**

 ** _I've crept into your temple, I have slept upon your pew, I've dreamed of the divinity, inside and out of you,_**

 ** _I want it more than truth, I can taste it on my breath, I would give my life just for a little death,_**

 ** _So I'll come by and see you again, I'll be just a very good friend,_**

 ** _I will not look upon your face, I will not touch upon your grace, your ecclesiastic skin,_**

 ** _I'll come by and see you again, I'll have to be a very good friend,_**

 ** _If I whisper, they will know, I'll just turn around and go, you will never know my sin_**

 ** _Angels Would Fall - Melissa Etheridge_**

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It's only their second day on the island and Tony wakes up to the sound of the waves on the beach and the birds singing in the trees. Rolling out of bed, he looks out at the white sand and catches a glimpse of Natasha walking back towards the house. He knows that she's been running as evidenced by the sports bra and shorts she wears, along with the running shoes.

"Sir, I believe there is something you and Miss Romanov should see." Artie says as he heads towards his in-suite bathroom.

"Tell Natasha I'll be down in ten minutes." He tells the AI, using the facilities before he steps into his shower.

It doesn't take him long to finish his shower and then he's dressed in loose lounge pants and a plain undershirt. As he walks down the stairs, he can hear the water running in Natasha's room. He goes to the kitchen and makes two iced coffees, setting Natasha's to the side as he drinks almost half of his and starts to throw together a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit. Moments later Natasha walks down the stairs in a cropped white, halter top and high-waisted blue, shorts. Both colors were pale enough to show the first hints of color on her pale skin. Her red hair was slicked back away from her face and she had no make-up on.

"Artie said there was something we needed to see?" She asks him as she picks up her iced coffee and takes a sip before grabbing one of the plates he's put together.

"Yeah, I haven't looked yet. Pull it up, Artie."

The wall closest to them shimmered a moment before a slightly blurry photo popped up on the screen of Natasha and Tony walking towards his private jet. Natasha's head was covered by a baseball cap and her face was in shadow, but Tony's was very clear. The caption below the picture read: _Tony Stark on vacation with Mystery Woman. Who is she and where is Pepper Potts?_

The screen changes and Tony curses when he sees Christine Everheart smiling into the camera.

 _"Tony Stark has apparently run off with a woman that is very clearly not Virginia "Pepper" Potts. The CEO of Stark Industries has not returned any requests for comments. Whoever the mystery woman is, she sure is lucky, as this picture clearly shows. The source behind the photograph wishes to remain anonymous but they freely admitted that the smiling couple were in the Bahamas."_

A picture shows on the screen behind Christine Everheart and Tony recognizes the airport where they'd landed. He was opening the passenger door of the Jaguar for Natasha and she was smiling up at him, though most of her face was still hidden by the ball cap and now Aviator sunglasses.

 _"There's been no word yet on if the billionaire is still pursuing a relationship with Miss Potts. Maybe their respective careers, and Tony Stark's rock star status as a superhero were just too much for the couple to handle. We here at the studio have to hand it to the mystery woman, getting Stark to take you to the Bahamas for a fling might just be the smoothest move we've seen from one of his many short flings over the years."_

The wall darkens back to its original state and Tony just gapes for a moment before risking a glance at Natasha. Amazingly, she doesn't look angry. Instead, she looks slightly amused.

"Well, that's going to be interesting." Is all she says before biting into a piece of mango.

 ** _Meanwhile in Wakanda_**

Clint's sitting on the couch in the living space that he shares with Rogers, Wilson, Maximoff, and Lang. He's been debating on trying to call Natasha, wondering where she is. He thought that she would have gotten in touch with him by now. The rest of the team seems to be in the same frame of mind and Steve has offered multiple times to help him find her. He'd told Steve that Natasha would touch base when she felt she needed to, if she was hiding, they'd never find her.

He flips through the channels, stopping on a gossip channel when he hears Stark mentioned.

 _"Stark's rock star status as a superhero were just too much for the couple to handle. We here at the studio have to hand it to the mystery woman, getting Stark to take you to the Bahamas for a fling might just be the smoothest move we've seen from one of his many short flings over the years."_

A few pictures slide across the screen and Clint can only shake his head. He wasn't aware that Potts and Stark had broken it off but obviously the man couldn't be taking it too hard, if he was already with someone else. The woman in the picture couldn't be seen clearly but she looked pretty enough. Usually, Stark went for women who were taller, skinnier, with longer hair. This woman was short, curvy, and her hair was short enough to be completely hidden by a ball cap.

"Who is that?" Steve asks from behind him.

"I have no idea. I didn't even know him and Potts were separated." Clint answers.

"Yeah, he told me. Before all of this happened." Steve says with a slight shrug as he moves to sit next to Clint. "He seemed pretty broken up about it."

"Sure seems fine now." Wilson says as he walks over and sits in the chair near them.

"Trust Stark to run away from his problems by falling back into old habits." Clint shakes his head as he starts flipping through the channels again.

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Tony wakes up again, and hears the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Something is different, though, and he immediately realizes why. Natasha is lying beside him, the moonlight streaming through the windows making her skin glow and casting the room in a silver tint. At some point in the night, he pushed the covers off the bed. It has become a habit when he has nightmares. He must have called out at some point. Or Artie alerted Natasha.

Now, here she was, lying beside him in a jade green pajama set. The silky material makes it look like she's wearing jewels and he knows the color brings out her eyes. He remembers from when they watched a movie before bed. Then, she'd had a matching robe over her outfit. The shorts were small and fit her well, while the top was designed to look loose but not accidentally reveal anything.

She had half of her body covering half of his, her slim, muscular thigh draped over his hips, and her arm draped over his chest and shoulder. Her slim fingers grazed his hair and he has a faint memory of someone twirling the ends of his hair. It must have been her when she slipped into his bed.

Without thinking too hard about it, Tony slips his arm around her waist, drawing her in tighter. She sighs lightly, her fingers moving to brush his hair again but she doesn't wake. He doesn't know if he'll ever get another chance like this, to admire her so close. She's almost supernaturally beautiful. It almost hurts.

He doesn't realize it at first, but his hand has moved her top up so his fingers can graze the soft skin of her hip. She arches into him, not unlike a cat, and he smiles softly. He wants her. He has always wanted her. But that's not what she needs from him. She needs a friend. Someone who will be there for her, knowing her story, or at least, knowing parts, and still chooses her. He thinks he can do that for her. He can be her friend.


	5. Chapter 5 - Take Your Time

**_I don't know if you were looking at me or not, you probably smile like that all the time, and I don't mean to bother you but I couldn't just walk by, and not say, "Hi",_**

 ** _And I know your name, 'cause everybody in here knows your name, and you're not looking for anything right now, so I don't wanna come on strong, don't get me wrong, your eyes are so intimidating, my heart is pounding but, it's just a conversation, no, girl I'm not wasted, you don't know me, I don't know you but I want to,_**

 ** _I don't wanna steal your freedom, I don't wanna change your mind, I don't have to make you love me, I just wanna take your time,_**

 ** _I don't wanna wreck your Friday, I ain't gonna waste my lines, I don't have to take your heart, I just wanna take your time,_**

 ** _And I know it starts with "Hello", and the next thing you know you're trying to be nice, and some guy's getting too close, trying to pick you up, trying to get you drunk, and I'm sure one of your friends is about to come over here, 'cause she's supposed to save you from random guys, that talk too much and wanna stay too long, it's the same old song and dance but I think you know it well,_**

 ** _You could've rolled your eyes, told me to go to hell, could've walked away, but you're still here, and I'm still here, come on let's see where it goes,_**

 ** _I don't wanna steal your freedom, I don't wanna change your mind, I don't have to make you love me, I just wanna take your time,_**

 ** _I don't have to meet your mother, We don't have to cross that line, I don't wanna steal your covers, I just wanna take your time,_**

 ** _I don't wanna go home with you, I just wanna be alone with you,_**

 ** _I don't wanna steal your freedom, I don't wanna change your mind, I don't have to make you love me, I just wanna take your time,_**

 ** _I don't wanna blow your phone up, I just wanna blow your mind, I don't have to take your heart, I just wanna take your time,_**

 ** _No, I ain't gotta call you baby, and I ain't gotta call you mine, I don't have to take your heart, I just wanna take your time_**

 ** _Take Your Time – Sam Hunt_**

Natasha has been waiting on Tony to mention the fact that he's found her in his bed more nights than not in the week they've been on the island. She is always gone before he wakes for the day, but sometimes in the middle of the night he will wake up and stroke a hand along her back, or her hip. Sometimes he runs his fingers through her hair. She pretends to sleep every time, not knowing if she's scared that he'll pretend it didn't happen or if she's scared he'll force her to acknowledge that it did. Still, he hasn't mentioned it.

Every morning, they'll get ready for the day in their separate rooms, showering and dressing. Whoever makes it to the kitchen first is the one who starts breakfast. It's always something different. Fruits, toast, eggs, cereals, yogurts, all sorts of things. She has never tried such a variation of foods in such a short amount of time.

They always have coffee, iced because the island is always hot. And then they eat outside, enjoying the waves and the sounds of birds waking up. Natasha is not a stranger to routine. She grew up with a routine, Shield had a routine, and missions have routines. She's not surprised that the routine they've fell into is one of randomness. But she likes it. She enjoys the domesticity that both of them refuse to point out.

Some days, they lounge around all day, going in and out of the house for drinks and snacks. Some days, they stay inside, watching movies and reading. They swim, they walk on the beach, they run, they hike, and they talk about anything and everything but they never scratch the surface of their tenuous relationship. She worries that if they do scratch that surface, if they delve deeper, Tony may not like what he finds. She doesn't know if Tony has the same worries, but she wants to reassure him that she knows what's below his surface. Not all of it, no, but some. And she's not bothered by what she finds.

Now, they are lying on lounge chairs near the shore line and she's reapplying her sunscreen. Tony's wearing blue swimming trunks and she's wearing a black bikini. Tony's skin has a nice, dark tan while her own is still a light gold. Still, it's more color than she usually has and she enjoys it.

As she sips on her Pina Colada, she looks out over the water and realizes she is far more relaxed than she's been in years. She feels a smile trying to take over her lips and she lets it. She soon sets her drink to the side. She can feel the sun's heat on her skin and she wants to cool off so she heads for the promising cool of the water. She can feel Tony's eyes on her and she almost wants to turn around and look. It doesn't bother her that he's looking at her; she'd worn her smallest bikini for exactly that reason. Natasha herself isn't sure what she is trying to get from Tony, but she knows that she enjoys it when he watches her. He only does it when he thinks she won't notice. Like, if they're watching a movie, or if she's reading a book.

She's found herself leaning into him more when they watch television together. Sometimes, she'll stretch, letting her shirt ride up on her stomach and he'll glance at the exposed skin. Her favorite moments are when he's lying in bed with an arm around her, he thinks she's asleep and he'll start drawing patterns on her skin. She has to fight a shiver as her body remembers the feel of his rough, calloused fingers on the bare skin of her back and thigh.

Stepping into the cool ocean, she walks until the water is up to her waist and then dives under to swim further out. It doesn't take long for her to notice that Tony has followed her, almost silently as he swims closer. Natasha likes that they spend so much time together here. She's learned parts of Tony that she never thought to learn before. Things that would never make it into a file.

She knows that he likes to get up around sunrise every day. She knows that he rarely uses covers when he sleeps. She knows that he enjoys musicals as well as horror movies. She knows that he really should be called Dr. Stark rather than Mr. Stark. And she knows that he worries far too much about others and not enough about himself.

When she stops swimming, she turns around and lays on her back and floats, Tony doing the same next to her. The waves carry them closer together; his fingers graze hers and she doesn't move away. Neither does he. They stay that way, floating, drifting, fingers touching ever so often. She can feel the glances that he keeps giving her but she doesn't look at him. She just closes her eyes and lets herself feel weightless.

They haven't heard anything else about the rumors of Tony having a fling with a mystery woman. She'd asked Tony if Pepper had been in contact and he'd told her no, so she'd left it at that. She knows that he hasn't tried to contact Pepper. Natasha has found herself wondering, more than once, if Tony had even told Pepper where he was going or with whom. She wants to ask but she also doesn't. She has no idea what she wants the answer to be. She thought she would find herself, find out who Natasha Romanov is, during this vacation, but she only finds more questions.

She finds herself wondering who Tony Stark is.

Normally, these things would bother her. Somehow, here and now, they don't. Maybe it's Tony. Maybe it's her. Maybe they are both changing. And maybe, things will continue to change. Because she's pretty sure she doesn't want to return to how things were.


	6. Chapter 6 - Let Me Hold You

**_When the dark clouds come your way, when your demons can't be tamed, when your last straw starts to break, and you feel your heart can't take anymore,_**

 ** _When your second chance is gone, when you're barely hanging on, when you're tired of being strong, and you don't know where to run anymore,_**

 ** _I wanna take away the hurts, but I just don't have the words,_**

 ** _Let me hold you, let me hold you tight, let me hold you, just let me hold you tonight,_**

 ** _When the shadow's always there, when you can't come up for air, when tomorrow seems to lead nowhere, and there's no answer to your prayer anymore,_**

 ** _I wanna take away the hurts, but I just don't have the words,_**

 ** _Let me hold you, let me hold you tight, let me hold you, just let me hold you tonight_**

 ** _Let Me Hold You - Josh Krajcik_**

T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$

The first thing he notices is a low, soft whimpering sound. Half-asleep and with his eyes still closed, his brow furrows, his brain not quite understanding what is going on. Another slight whimper and he opens his eyes to slits so that he isn't blinded by the bright moonlight coming through the windows. Noticing that the left side of his body isn't as overheated as usual, Tony reaches his hand out as he looks to the side, searching. His fingers brush against the soft cotton partially covering Natasha's back before they meet smooth, sleep warmed skin.

As his eyes clear of sleep, she whimpers again and he notices that she's curled herself into a ball. He gets the impression that she's trying to make herself as small as possible. As if she's hiding. Tony knows that she must be dreaming, but he's never seen her this vulnerable and it freezes him for a moment.

Then, without thinking about it, he reaches for her, turning onto his side. It is so easy to forget how small she is, but as he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her to him, he's reminded. He moves forward, meeting her body halfway so that he has less of a chance to wake her. He's not sure that would be a wise move.

He presses his chest against her back, curling his body around her and using his feet to grab the edges of the cover and pull it higher. He hasn't done it since he was a child but he can still remember hiding under the blanket so the monsters couldn't find you. He's thankful that the arc reactor was removed from his chest a few years ago. If it was still there, surely the hard metal and warm light would wake her.

When he gets the blanket high enough, he moves one arm from around her and pulls it up high, to their necks. He knows it might get hot, it probably will get hot, but Natasha needs this. She needs the extra, superfluous protection that the blanket can give her.

"Artie, windows to ninety percent." He tells the AI running the house. The windows immediately darken, casting the room in a soft silver glow. Everything looks surreal, as if there in a place that isn't quite real. "Make sure it stays at a cool seventy."

He knows that Artie will keep them comfortable so curling around Natasha again, he starts to whisper. His voice is barely distinguishable over the waves and he keeps his tone steady, not wanting to wake her. Tony tells her different things, stories that he hasn't thought of for some time. He tells her about a science project he did when he was five, building an engine. He tells her about his first day at MIT, about wearing his pajamas to class. A pair of red cotton pants, a black t-shirt, white bunny slippers, and a matching bunny hat, complete with ears that pointed straight up. That was how he was introduced to Rhodey, he says, remembering his friend's surprised look at the choice in clothes. Remembering how Rhodey had told him that he should probably change. But Tony had ignored him and waltzed around campus with his head high. He wasn't really one for cowing to others standards.

He tells her what he was thinking when she first walked into the room, as Natalie Rushman, when he'd been training with Happy. How he'd noticed her hair first, because it caught the bright, fluorescent lights, and looked like fire. It burned from within. And when her eyes met his, he'd saw that that fire wasn't just in her hair, it was inside of her. Tony tells her that he thought she was beautiful but that it had nothing to do with her physical appearance. Sure, that was great, but he saw something in her, a fight, a fire, something. And he knew, he just knew, that she was something else. She was different. Special. Her fire would consume the world one day, a little at a time. And he had the thought that he'd like to help her burn it down. To sit high up somewhere and just watch everything burn down to embers, turn to ash. To watch the world crumble beneath them. He knows she's asleep, and she can't hear any of it, but her whimpers slow, gradually, and then they stop altogether.

Tony hasn't realized she's been shivering until she isn't anymore. Slowly, inch by inch, her muscles lose their rigidity and her body stretches out to a more natural position. She fits snugly into the cradle his body has created for her. He keeps whispering to her, even when he sees her eyes beginning to move behind the lids. He changes to stories of his childhood, not quite willing to let her see how exposed she can make him, how weak. He knows that she has the power to unmake him and reshape him. But he's not quite ready for her to know that she holds that power. Her eyelids flutter and she slowly opens them as he's telling her a story about baking a birthday cake with the original Jarvis. Edwin, who he tried not to think about too much these days.

As the story comes to a close, he feels her start to move and he loosens his hold, the arm that's underneath her falls limp to the mattress and his other arm moves so that his hand is on her hip. He doesn't want her to feel trapped or confined. Expecting her to get up and pretend like none of this ever happened, he's surprised when she rolls over so she's facing him. She holds his arms in place so that he keeps them in the same position, not pulling away from her.

Now, he's got her held against him, chest to chest. Her eyes meet his for a moment and he can see the storm behind the green, dampening the fire. He wants so bad to chase it away, to reignite that blazing inferno, but he doesn't know how. He doesn't know how to fight her demons, he can barely keep his own at bay. He doesn't think about the position they're in as anything more than comfort. He can feel his body wanting to react to her being so close to him in nothing but a cropped tank top and cotton panties. Tony knows that Natasha won't fault him for his body's reaction but he feels as if it would ruin the moment, as if it would change what was happening. And this felt like something important.

Tony's surprised when Natasha presses up slightly, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. He freezes as the gesture seems to stretch out for seconds, minutes, with her body pressed to his. Then she moves back and burrows into his arms, pressing her face to his chest and tangling her legs with his. Her arms go around him so she's almost mirroring his position. He can smell the shampoo she uses, something like cinnamon. His arms tighten by a fraction and he feels her answering squeeze.

"We should bake a cake tomorrow." She whispers as they begin to drift off. He nods and lets his eyes close, relaxing into her hold. Because now, it is not him holding her, but they are holding each other. Keeping their demons away. He listens to her breathing deepen as he floats in that space just before sleep. His own breathing deepens and the world is fading away as he hears a faint whisper, unsure if it's a dream or not.

"We'll burn it down together."


	7. Chapter 7 - Control

**_They send me away to find them a fortune, a chest filled with diamonds and gold, the house was awake, with shadows and monsters, the hallways they echoed and groaned_**

 ** _I sat alone, in bed 'til the morning, I'm crying, "They're coming for me."_**

 ** _And I tried to hold these secrets inside me, my mind's like a deadly disease,_**

 ** _I'm bigger than my body, I'm colder than this home, I'm meaner than my demons, I'm bigger than these bones,_**

 ** _And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me." I can't help this awful energy, Goddamn right, you should be scared of me, who is in control?_**

 ** _I paced around for hours on empty, I jumped at the slightest of sounds, and I couldn't stand the person inside me, I turned all the mirrors around,_**

 ** _I'm bigger than my body, I'm colder than this home, I'm meaner than my demons, I'm bigger than these bones,_**

 ** _And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me." I can't help this awful energy, Goddamn right, you should be scared of me, who is in control?_**

 ** _I'm well acquainted with villains that live in my bed, they beg me to write them, so they'll never die when I'm dead, and I've grown familiar with villains that live in my head, they beg me to write them, so I'll never die when I'm dead,_**

 ** _I'm bigger than my body, I'm colder than this home, I'm meaner than my demons, I'm bigger than these bones,_**

 ** _And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me." I can't help this awful energy, Goddamn right, you should be scared of me, who is in control?_**

 _ **Control - Halsey**_

Natasha wakes up and it takes her a moment to orient herself. The room is darker than usual and she's warm. There's no sun shining through the windows, not even a hint of it, and she realizes that there is a storm raging just outside.

"Artie, what time is it?" She asks as she eases her way out of Tony's arms.

"It is ten a.m., Miss Romanov." The AI answers her. Natasha is surprised. They never sleep this late. It's probably a combination of the storm and her nightmare that has kept them in bed hours past their normal time.

She thinks about going to her own room to shower and change. But one look out the darkened windows and she changes her mind. Instead, she grabs a t-shirt and pair of boxer briefs from Tony's dresser drawer and heads into his shower. She leaves the door cracked open so that she can hear him when he wakes and she strips out of her tank top and panties. Getting into the shower, she stands under the water, letting it wash away the out of place feeling she'd woken up with.

"What's the news on the storm?" She asks Artie.

"According to reports, it is going to last the next forty-eight hours, Miss Romanov." Artie says. "Sir has had the whole house renovated and reinforced to outlast even the worst of storms."

"That's nice to hear." She mumbles to herself as she reaches for the shampoo on the shelf. This bathroom is fully stocked with the same selection as hers, she notices as she picks up the deep red bottle. It doesn't have a label but she likes the scent.

Lathering her hair, she tries not to think about her dream the night before. Natasha isn't a stranger to nightmares. She'd lived one. Occasional memories weren't a surprise and she considers herself lucky.

But she can't help remembering the girls in her dream. Before she'd left the red room, she'd been an assistant trainer. The new girls had been terrified of her and with good reason. Her reputation was already spreading. Some considered her a legend, some considered her a myth, either way no one was alive to tell the truth.

Her breathing hitches and she forces the thoughts away but the flashes of color stay. Bright, hot reds, ice cold whites, drab grays, and thick blacks. The blood and the snow and the walls and the shadows.

"Natasha!" She hears a voice sharply call her name and she startles as she whips around to face the door. This bathroom has a glass wall in front of the shower, the frosted glass shows only an outline and she realizes that Tony must have been trying to gain her attention for a while.

"Yeah?" She calls back to him, hoping he doesn't notice the slight breathiness to her tone over the water.

"I figured we could just have cereal for breakfast. The storm is pretty bad and I don't know if we'll have any issues on the island." He tells her. She knows that he can see the outline of her body in the shower but it doesn't bother her. It's comforting to know that he's so close.

She leans her head back under the spray of water and lets it rinse away the shampoo before replying. "That sounds fine. I'll be down in a minute."

She watches him leave before rubbing conditioner through her hair. She quickly lathers up her body with the body-wash closest to her and then rinses her hair and body. She dries herself quickly, ignoring the chill in the air. For some reason, no matter what month it was or how hot it was, rain always made her feel cold.

As she dresses in the boxer briefs and t-shirt she'd taken from Tony's dresser, she gathers herself, pushing the final dregs of the nightmare into the darkest part of her mind. As she heads for the stairs, she makes a beeline for the linen closet and grabs a couple of throw blankets. She's not the least bit surprised by how well stocked his linen closet is. It looks like a small department store with everything separated into categories. She hopes that the family that lives on the other side is paid well.

Natasha walks down the stairs and straight for the couch, ignoring Tony's stare. She thinks he probably realizes that she's wearing his clothes and she doesn't know what she'll say to explain. But she needs the comfort. Maybe she'll answer him with a non-answer. That thought doesn't sit well with her and she shoves it away before she can wonder why.

At the kitchen island, she glances into his bowl and sees that he's eating Lucky Charms so she decides she'll do the same. They finish breakfast quickly and rinse their dishes before moving to the couch.

All of the lights are turned low, the storm is raging outside, battering the floor to ceiling windows. The thunder and lightning provide a soothing backdrop as they turn on a silent film. She doesn't know anything about the actors, or their names. She has no idea what the movie is called. But she finds herself being caught up in the story none the less.

Natasha eventually finds herself curled against Tony's side, his arm around her shoulders. They're sharing a blanket and she doesn't know if he notices it or not. She feels warm, safe, and sleepy. Slowly, hoping he won't notice, and if he does, hoping he won't move, she changes position. She moves down, letting her head fall to his chest, just over his heart. His arm fell from her shoulders but he doesn't tense, he just readjusts his hold to her waist. Smiling to herself, she moves her legs to a more comfortable position.

"Hold on a second." Tony says in a low voice and she stops smiling. She hopes he's not going to move.

He doesn't. Instead, he pushes back slightly and suddenly the couch they're on reclines. A small laugh escapes her as she realizes that he was only trying to make her more comfortable. She feels Tony move his head, looking down at her, but she pretends she doesn't notice. She snuggles in further, stretching her legs out towards the footrest. She starts dozing off to the sound of the storm and Tony's heartbeat, one now a familiar lullaby.

Before she slips under, she feels Tony press his face to her hair, his lips barely grazing her hairline at the top of her forehead. A contented sigh leaves her. Yes, she feels warm and safe.


	8. Chapter 8 - She's Every Woman

**_She's sun and rain, she's fire and ice,_**

 ** _A little crazy but it's nice,_**

 ** _And when she gets mad, you best leave her alone,_**

 ** _'Cause she'll rage just like a river, then she'll beg you to forgive her,_**

 ** _She's every woman that I've ever known_**

 ** _She's so New York and then L.A., and every town along the way,_**

 ** _She's every place that I've never been,_**

 ** _She's makin' love on rainy nights, she's a stroll through Christmas lights,_**

 ** _And she's everything I want to do again,_**

 ** _It needs no explanation,_**

 ** _'Cause it all makes perfect sense,_**

 ** _For when it comes down to temptation,_**

 ** _She's on both sides of the fence,_**

 ** _No, it needs no explanation,_**

 ** _'Cause it all makes perfect sense,_**

 ** _When it comes down to temptation,_**

 ** _She's on both sides of the fence,_**

 ** _She's anything but typical, she's so unpredictable,_**

 ** _Oh, but even at her worst it ain't that bad,_**

 ** _She's as real as real can be, and she's every fantasy,_**

 ** _Lord, she's every lover that I've ever had,_**

 ** _And she's every lover that I've never had_**

 ** _She's Every Woman-Garth Brooks_**

T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$

Something changed. Tony couldn't really say what it was because it was very subtle. But he suddenly found himself trading casual touches with Natasha in a way they never had before. It was more than a hand on a shoulder or arm.

Now, when they watched a movie together, they always ended up cuddled together. Or she'd put her legs over his. Sometimes as they just lazed around reading he would find himself placing a hand on her thigh or her knee. She would press a hand to his chest as she laughed at a joke. Something changed.

He's lying in bed as he thinks about this because Natasha is, surprisingly, still asleep. She's facing away from him and he's wrapped around her securely. He knows that at the first sign of movement she'll wake up and he wants her to sleep as long as she wants. They quit pretending to have separate rooms.

Instead, her stuff have migrated to his room over the course of a few days. He hasn't asked her what it means, or anything of the sort. He doesn't know if things will stay this way when they're back in New York in a few days, or if they'll change again. And he won't ask. He takes a risk, pressing his lips against the bare nape of her neck, breathing in her scent.

Natasha starts to stir and he tries not to tense as she moves. She's not fully awake and her hips push back against his causing him to bite his lip. Contrary to popular belief, he can control himself around beautiful women. Even if they are in his bed wearing small silk pajamas that barely cover anything.

He tries to move his hips away from hers without disturbing her further but she rolls over quickly, throwing a leg over his hip as she wraps an arm around him.

"If you move, I'll hurt you." She tells him in a husky voice. He freezes automatically. She snuggles up to him contentedly, a purr escaping her throat as if she's a cat. After a moment she speaks again. "Do we really have to leave?"

Tony chuckles because he's not surprised she is thinking along the same lines as he is.

"Yep. Don't forget we're going to have house guests in a couple weeks." He tries not to hold his breath as he waits for her to say something, anything, about the 'we'.

"Mm." Is all he gets and he relaxes back into her hold. She keeps her leg over his hip and he knows better than to move but he can feel her heat through the silk and his body reacts.

Natasha doesn't move. She doesn't push closer or pull away, even though he knows she isn't asleep. After a moment, she lets out a soft sigh, pulling him slightly closer. He lets his rand run along her lower back under her top before sliding his hand to the middle of her back.

Tony turns the hold into a hug as he brings his other hand to the back of her head, threading his fingers through her short hair. The next breath he releases is slightly unsteady and he knows that she notices because she tightens her body around his but she doesn't say anything.

He isn't sure how long they lay like that, but eventually, Natasha leans back and looks at him. She raises up, pressing her lips to his firmly. It takes him a moment to respond through his shock but then he does, pressing his lips back against hers. The kiss only lasts long enough for him to respond and then she's pulling back. Natasha smiles softly at him, a soft look in her eyes. She eases herself away from him and slides from the bed.

"Let's go make breakfast." She tells him, walking towards the bedroom door. Tony nods and she leaves the room.

He falls back onto the sheets, staring at the ceiling for a few moments, wondering what that kiss was for and what it meant. He breathes in deeply before releasing it, making himself get out of the bed that smells like a combination of them. He slips on a pair of cotton pants and an undershirt before walking downstairs.

Natasha is in the kitchen, still in her pajamas, and she's mixing something in a bowl. When her eyes meet his, she smiles again and he gives her an answering smile. He knows that it probably looks unsure, hesitant, but it's genuine.

Stopping next to her, she hands him a carton of eggs and a mixing bowl, telling him to start scrambling them as she finishes making the biscuits. He happily obliges, cracking eggs and using a whisk to beat them together.

As they move around the kitchen, soft music filtering through the speakers, they continue to give each other casual touches. She presses a hand to his arm, he grazes a hand across her lower back. Nothing has changed, while everything has changed. He still doesn't know what they are, but he knows now that they are * _something*._

Watching her, he realizes that he doesn't care about defining it. He doesn't need to sit down and figure out what's going on. He's comfortable just accepting what she gives him and giving her what he can. He does not need a name, or a label, for this. It just is.

And he's happy.


	9. Chapter 9 - No One Needs to Know

**_Am I dreamin' or stupid? I think I've been hit by Cupid,_**

 ** _But no one needs to know right now,_**

 ** _I met a tall, dark and handsome man, and I've been busy makin' big plans,_**

 ** _But no one needs to know right now,_**

 ** _I got my heart set, my feet wet, and he don't even know it yet,_**

 ** _But no one needs to know right now,_**

 ** _I'll tell him someday, some way, somehow, but I'm gonna keep it a secret for now,_**

 ** _I want bells to ring, a choir to sing,_**

 ** _The white dress, the guests, the cake, the car, the whole darn thing,_**

 ** _But no one needs to know right now,_**

 ** _I'll tell him someday, some way, somehow, but I'm gonna keep it a secret for now,_**

 ** _We'll have a little girl, a little boy, a little Benji we call Leroy,_**

 ** _But no one needs to know right now,_**

 ** _And I'm not lonely anymore at night,_**

 ** _And he don't know only, only he can make it right,_**

 ** _And I'm not lonely anymore at night,_**

 ** _And he don't know only, only he can make it right,_**

 ** _I'm not dreamin' or stupid, but boy have I been hit by Cupid,_**

 ** _But no one needs to know right now,_**

 ** _No one needs to know right now_**

 ** _No One Needs To Know-Shania Twain_**

Natasha wakes slowly, knowing that today is their last day on the island. They have to head back tomorrow so Tony can get ready for another press conference. She knows that he has to go to a panel for the Accords sometime in the coming weeks, too, but he hasn't mentioned it since they've been on vacation. He hasn't mentioned a lot of things, things she knows they'll have to discuss when they go home.

They need to talk about what happened between him and Steve, because Natasha knows something did happen, she just doesn't know what. They need to discuss what they're going to do for her cover since she's currently a wanted fugitive. They need to discuss if they're going to continue with the Avengers Initiative, or if they need to rebuild. A new team with a new name might be good for them both. She'll need to check in on Laura and the kids, too.

Shoving those thoughts away for another day, she slides out of Tony's arms, laughing at the little whine he lets out. She doesn't feel like doing a lot today, she just wants to enjoy the time they have left, the peace. So, she doesn't even bother to get dressed in real clothes. She slides a pair of Tony's boxer briefs on over her panties and runs a hand through her hair, trying to tame it a little.

She makes a simple breakfast for them both when she gets to the kitchen. Bagels with cream cheese and sliced fruit. Tony comes down the stairs as she's putting everything on the serving tray to carry it outside. He grabs the tray of coffee and juice, following her to the small patio area.

They eat at a leisurely pace and Tony tells her to leave the dishes until later. They have all day. He grabs her wrist and pulls her to her feet as he walks towards the shoreline. There's a lightness in his steps. With a happy smirk, he drops his cotton pants and pulls his t-shirt over his head before running into the water in only boxer briefs.

She doesn't hesitate to follow suit, leaving her tank top on but pulling off the boxer briefs of Tony's. She follows him into the water, enjoying the happiness he's been displaying more frequently. She could get used to it.

 ** _Meanwhile in Wakanda_**

Steve doesn't know what to say as he stands at the opposite end of the conference table from T'Challa. He looks around at his friends, his team, and sees that they all look as astonished as he feels. He feels blind-sided.

"But you said you would help us." Steve finally manages to say.

"And I did." T'Challa replies. "But, as I'm sure you all know, I support the Accords. My father supported them, so did my kingdom. And I will not let my people down."

"So, you're just kicking us out?" Steve asks. He knows that T'Challa's father had been one of the people to spearhead the Accords but he thought that T'Challa had changed his mind. Obviously, he was wrong.

"I have allowed you to recuperate. I have been helping Sergeant Barnes and I will continue to help him. But, you and your team are fugitives. I still believe in the Accords, but I also believe in being fair. I will give you until the morning to be gone. I will not actively pursue you, but I will no longer hide you away."

With that, T'Challa stands up and leaves the conference room. After a moment, Steve sits down again and puts his head in his hands. They'd been here for almost a month and he hadn't expected this.

"What do we do?" Sam asks and Steve looks up at him. He thinks about the phone he always carries that never rings. He thinks about the compound that he knows is mostly empty, except for Vision and Colonel Rhodes. The news had recently mentioned that Stark was still MIA in the Bahamas.

"We leave. Before morning. Everyone start packing and meet me at the west gate in twenty." He stands up and leaves the room without looking back. He has to get his team somewhere safe. He doesn't know if that's the compound and he doesn't know how he'll get everyone all the way back to America, but he has to try.

She can't stop the grin that spreads across her face as she walks outside to find Tony setting up a round fire pit. The sun is starting to set and the sky looks like fire. Natasha immediately thinks of her promise to Tony, the one he doesn't know she made. They'll burn it down together.

When Tony notices her, a smile brightens his face and she sighs internally. She'd ignored so many of the signs, thinking she wasn't good for him. Pepper was. And Pepper can still be good for him, but Natasha wants to be, too. She wants to be what he makes her feel, what he believes she is. Fire.

Making her way over to the small area he's set up for them, she laughs when she sees the bags of marshmallows and the metal skewers. Tony gives her a look before lighting the fire and sits next to her on the glider seat. They're pressed together from shoulder to knee and it's a comforting feeling.

They no longer feel the need for hesitant touches, neither of them are unsure if it's allowed. The confidence in their shared affection is refreshing for her. She never thought she'd have that with Tony. That he would put a hand on her knee, or an arm around her shoulders, without thought. She would have never thought that she could just reach for his hand if she wanted to.

Tony puts two marshmallows on one of the rods and hands it to her before getting his own. He places the bag of marshmallows on her lap and sticks his straight in the fire, letting it catch before pulling it out. She's never roasted marshmallows before so she watches him as he lets it burn. The white turns black and bubbles slightly before he blows it out.

When he pulls off the blackened shell, he takes a bite and hands the other half to her. Natasha takes it with a raised brow, unsure, but eats it anyway. It's not half bad. She can taste the fire in a strange way. The smoke serving to enhance the sweetness. Tony gestures at her with the skewer and she swipes some of the melted marshmallow goo off it, putting her fingers in her mouth.

It's delicious, even if the goo is almost impossible to get off her skin. Following Tony's example, she puts her own marshmallows into the fire, repeating his process. She shares the first one with him and then eats the second by herself.

They end up eating four bags of marshmallows, occasionally sharing with each other, before Tony declares that he will be sick if he eats any more. They put out the fire, but instead of going inside, Tony pulls Natasha back down beside him and he reclines the glider.

With the house lights off, and the fire out, the stars in the sky are brighter than she's ever seen them. As she looks over at Tony, who is still staring at the night sky, she thinks the same of him. He's brighter than he's ever been. A light burning in the darkness, helping her find her way. And she realizes, while she doesn't know if she loves him yet, she could. She could love him, and it would be easy, and it would be good. But she doesn't tell him that. Not yet.


	10. Chapter 10 - Suggestions

**_It just takes a second for my world to come crumbling down,_**

 ** _Oh, I'm sure in the distance you can hear that awful sound,_**

 ** _How I plead for an answer, plead for an answer from you,_**

 ** _But if you give me an answer, that just makes no sense then what's the use,_**

 ** _And just like that my life is broken I can barely breathe and now I'm opened for suggestions,_**

 ** _At the end of the day life's a lesson,_**

 ** _Life's a lesson,_**

 ** _So, why can't he see it from my point of view?_**

 ** _And how many seconds in the hours of a day did we lose,_**

 ** _Was it me or his feelings, me or his feelings that day?_**

 ** _'_** ** _Cause I just stood there in silence watched while my world blew away,_**

 ** _And just like that my life was broken I can barely breathe and now I'm opened for suggestions,_**

 ** _At the end of the day life's a lesson,_**

 ** _My life's a lesson,_**

 ** _Hollow, oh,_**

 ** _Feelings in the air that I breathe that come over me,_**

 ** _Come over me,_**

 ** _Now I'm open,_**

 ** _Oh yes I'm open,_**

 ** _For suggestions, life's a lesson,_**

 ** _Now I'm free 'cause life's a lesson,_**

 ** _Oh why can't I see it from his point of view?_**

 ** _And how many seconds in the hours will I make him lose,_**

 ** _Oh, he said it was him or the answer, it was him or the answer that day,_**

 ** _Well, I kept shouting out the answer, so what was the use anyway?_**

 ** _Suggestions - Orelia Has Orchestra_**

T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$

Their flight back to the states had been uneventful. They'd both been tired and had sat on a couch together to watch movies. He can't really remember what movies they watched, as he spent most of the flight thinking about everything he'd have to get done once he returned to Stark Compound and Stark Industries. He had noted that paparazzi would most likely be everywhere at the airport but Natasha had just shrugged and pulled a cap over her hair before adding sunglasses. Her loose tank top and worn jeans had also helped because no one would suspect Black Widow to dress that way.

Tony had not bothered to hide himself. He knew that there was no use in both of them hiding, the paparazzi knew it was him on the plane. So he'd walked off the jet like it was any other day. Cameras had went off from all angles but Natasha just kept her head down and her face angled towards him. He'd wrapped an arm around her waist to let her hide her face against his shoulder a few times.

They'd returned to the compound and he'd sat down with Natasha to discuss her options. T'Challa had emailed him, letting him know that due to the circumstances surrounding Natasha's siding with Rogers, he would not be pursuing legal action. The UN hadn't been exactly thrilled but they were willing to work something out, Ross had thrown a fit. But without T'Challa's recounting of events, they had no information to go on. And Tony was working on gathering intel on Ross. He wanted to bury the man.

After deciding that, until they could get her name officially cleared, Natasha would work undercover as Tony's PA, he'd called Pepper and requested a meeting for the following day. She had agreed to come to the compound and Tony knew that Pepper knew who had gone on vacation with him. But, she didn't sound bothered when she'd agreed to the meeting. She'd asked if he'd had a good time and requested first dibs on any embarrassing photographs from the island. He'd laughed when she'd joked about selling them to a tabloid and it eased something in his chest to know that they could still be friends. That they hadn't lost that easy camaraderie.

Now, though, he is just sitting in his lounge, Natasha next to him with a glass of wine and he with a glass of bourbon. They hadn't discussed sleeping arrangements so far and he hopes that they won't have to. But there is something they need to discuss. Because now, they're back in the real world, forced to deal with the daily grind. They need to clear the air between them officially if he is going to help her clear her name. He clears his throat as he lets his eyes drift away from her.

"Did you know, too?" He manages to ask, his voice barely more than a hoarse whisper as he forces the words past his lips. He knows the truth, or he thinks he does, but he wants her to tell him. He needs to know that he has her honesty, at the least. "About my parents' accident?"

Tony hears her sharp intake of breath but he doesn't turn in her direction. They need to have this conversation if they are getting as close as he thinks they are. And he doesn't think he can do it if he looks at her. He doesn't know if he can continue if he sees pain or pity in her eyes.

"Yes." Natasha finally replies, her voice equally low and only slightly rough. "I know about your parents' accident. Though, I don't know what you mean about 'too'. Rogers?"

And that name. He hasn't let himself think that name since Siberia. Since 'did you know', since 'so was I'. He's not completely unable to deal with his feelings. He is an adult, after all. Sure, Rogers had been a friend. But, Tony had been fine before the Avengers, he was fine now. He did not need them and they would not break him. He was stronger than that. He was hurt, and he was tired, but he was not broken.

"You know," he begins. "Growing up, people always had this misguided notion that I loved Captain America. That I idolized him or something. Either that, or I hated him. To be honest, it was neither. I mean, sure, Howard talked about him a lot. But, by the time I went off to college it was such a common thing that I'd become sort of indifferent."

With a huff of laughter, he risks a glance at Natasha. She's sitting patiently, her body turned slightly towards him, her body language open. Tony knows it's not an act. He's seen Natasha's acts. This is real. He instinctually knows that she will not shy away from this. Even if it gets messy, or painful, or complicated. She may eventually walk away, but it won't be because she can't, or won't, deal with it. He knows he can count on her.

"When I finally met him, I still wasn't all that impressed. But, I gave him the benefit of doubt, you know? Maybe he was as good, as righteous, as infallible as Howard had painted him to be. Turns out, he's not. He lied to me for two years. Lived with me, worked with me, and lied to me."

"Tony, I don't know what to say." Natasha says as she reaches a hand over and places it on his leg. He puts his hand over hers, squeezing gently. Her lips part and he knows that he can't let her speak again, not yet.

"I am not an easy man to like. Not on the surface. I know that. There's a reason for that. I'm abrasive, loud, obnoxious, because I need to be. If someone can get past that, to me, then I know they're worth it. Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, they all got past the surface. And so quickly." Tony tells her with a slight nod. "But Rogers never seemed able to. He could've at least told me."

"I should've said something." She replies, moving closer to him so she can press against his side. Offering comfort. Warmth. Safety.

"I can sort of see why you didn't, I guess. It still hurts, but I almost get it. We weren't as close then as we are now. This whole close thing is fairly new, actually. And you're a spy, Natasha. You've been a spy your whole life. You were brought up that way, for better or worse. That sort of training doesn't just go away. And, you'd just destroyed your whole life. That, if nothing else does, earns you a little more understanding."

"Rogers had just had his world turned upside down, too." And he wants to laugh at her answer, he almost does. But he knows that he won't because it will be bitter and he doesn't want to be bitter. He doesn't want any of them to have the satisfaction.

"No. Rogers had just received some of the best news possible. Sure, it was painful, but he had possibilities all of a sudden. You had everything yanked from under you. Your world was burning to the ground."

"Because I set it on fire." She tells him with a wry smirk on her lips now. Her eyes, though, are full of sorrow.

"Well, isn't that what you do when your house is filled with roaches?" He asks her as he puts an arm around her shoulders.

"Maybe." She answers him, settling against his side once more. "But, next time, maybe we try a better way than setting it on fire."

"Oh, I don't know." Tony looks down at her, meets her green eyes with his brown ones before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Maybe next time we can burn it down together."

 ** _Meanwhile in the Middle of Nowhere_**

They'd managed to find a hotel that didn't ask a whole lot of questions when Clint had asked for two rooms and paid with cash. They were all gathered in one room and Scott was flipping through the channels when a picture of Stark flashed across the screen. He had his arm around a woman that was hiding her face and he wore a large grin. Scott turned the volume up and felt everyone else coming closer to see what was going on.

 _"Tony Stark has ended his hiatus and is back in the United States today. There has still been no word from Pepper Potts about the mystery woman on Stark's arm."_ The woman standing in front of the camera says, flashing a mischievous smile. _"Here's hoping that Mystery Woman speaks up soon. We all want to know just where Stark whisked her off to and if there may be wedding bells in the future."_

"Yeah, right." Clint barks as he stands up and starts to pace slowly. "Why do they keep buying into everything he feeds them?"

"What do you mean?" Steve asks and Scott has realized that his inner fanboy has quieted quite a bit recently.

"He's obviously trying to get them to talk about anything except his latest disaster." Clint replies as if it should be obvious. "And I still haven't heard form Natasha so there's no telling what he's managed to do there. I don't know if she's locked up, on the run, what."

"I'm sure she's fine." Steve tells him in a reassuring (read condescending) way. "She always lands on her feet."

"Yeah." Clint sighs, sitting down again. "It's just ridiculous that we have to be the ones on the run. We're suffering the consequences because of Stark."

"It will get better." Steve responds before going back to talking strategy with Sam.

Now that Stark was back, Scott didn't know where they would go. Avengers Compound was probably off-limits. Sometimes, he thinks of just leaving in the middle of the night. Or saying he wants to go for a walk. Just grabbing his gear and returning home. He'd been to prison. It sucked, but it wasn't a fate worse than death. Or exile. With a sigh, he turns his attention back to the television and blocks out the noise around him.


	11. Chapter 11 - Better Than I Used to Be

**_I know how to hold a grudge I can send a bridge up in smoke,_**

 ** _And I can't count the people I've let down, the hearts I've broke,_**

 ** _You ain't gotta dig too deep If you wanna find some dirt on me,_**

 ** _I'm learning who you've been ain't who you've got to be,_**

 ** _It's gonna be an uphill climb, aww honey I won't lie,_**

 ** _I ain't no angel, I still got a few more dances with the devil,_**

 ** _I'm cleaning up my act little by little,_**

 ** _I'm getting there, I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see,_**

 ** _I ain't as good as I'm gonna get but I'm better than I used to be,_**

 ** _I've pinned a lot of demons to the ground, I've got a few old habits left,_**

 ** _But there's still one or two I might need you to help me get,_**

 ** _Standing in the rain so long has left me with a little rust,_**

 ** _But put some faith in me and someday you'll see, there's a diamond under all this dust,_**

 ** _I ain't no angel, I still got a few more dances with the devil,_**

 ** _I'm cleaning up my act little by little,_**

 ** _I'm getting there, I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see,_**

 ** _I ain't as good as I'm gonna get but I'm better than I used to be,_**

 ** _I ain't no angel, I still got a few more dances with the devil,_**

 ** _But I'm cleaning up my act little by little,_**

 ** _I'm getting there, I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see,_**

 ** _I ain't as good as I'm gonna get but I'm better than I used to be_**

 ** _Better Than I Used to Be – Tim McGraw_**

Natasha wakes up early after a fitful night's sleep. Tony hadn't slept well, either, but he'd excused himself to his lab sometime around three in the morning and hadn't been back to bed. She understood, though. They hadn't talked much the night before but their conversation had been a hard one.

Gathering some workout clothes, she dresses quickly and heads for the gym, already missing the island and their peaceful time there. She knows that Tony has a meeting with Pepper later in the afternoon but she has nothing on her schedule, one of the consequences of being a semi-fugitive. She figures she can get in a good workout today, keep up with her training as much as possible. She's starting to regret being lazy for two weeks. Of course, she'd ran every other day, but that wasn't anywhere close to what she usually did.

"Friday, can you turn on my usual playlist?" She asks as she starts wrapping her hands.

The music starts to play slowly before speeding up and, by the time the beat drops, she's hitting the padded training dummy. Natasha quickly settles into a rhythm of hitting and kicking. She twists and turns around the immobile object. Red hair falls over her forehead and she shakes her head slightly, feeling a few hairs stick to her skin with sweat. Another twist and she kicks her leg up over the arm of the dummy, using it to pull her torso around. Her other leg goes around the dummies 'torso' area and squeezes as she uses a short series of punches and elbow strikes. One the last strike, she rears her body back and releases the dummy from between her legs. Her palms hit the ground and she brings her legs towards the ground, flipping and twisting to land in a crouch facing the dummy.

"Wow." She hears behind her and looks over her shoulder to see Tony leaning in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. "I knew you were impressive. I didn't know you were that impressive."

"I thought you had a meeting." She replies as she walks to the shelves on the side of the room. She grabs a towel and wipes the sweat from her face before grabbing a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. As she looks at Tony again, she lets her gaze roam over the three-piece suit. "If you weren't you, I'd think you were here making a deal for my soul."

"I'm sure we could arrange something." He tells her as he cracks a smile. The suit is a deep black with dark red pinstripes on the vest and a dark red, silk handkerchief in his jacket pocket. The handkerchief matches his tie perfectly. "I was just headed out, wanted to ask if you'd be available when I got back."

"What'd you have in mind?" She asks him with a raised brow, curious.

"I wanted to talk to you about a job." He answers. "Also, maybe ask you to dinner."

Natasha forces her breath not to catch in her throat at his words. Tony asking her to dinner is different than them having dinner together on the island. It's different than them eating at home, too. "Where would we go?"

"Well, I know of this Italian place. Kinda fancy but they actually fill up your plate."

"I think we can do that." She smiles and he returns it easily.

"I'll let you get back to it."

And then he's gone and her playlist resumes. She doesn't want to think about what it means that she hadn't noticed that it'd stopped. Instead, she puts the towel and water down on a bench and goes to the treadmill.

When she finishes with her workout, she throws her towel into the hamper in the corner of the room and puts the bottle into recycling before heading back to her room to shower. Well, Tony's room. But, she supposes it's her room, too.

Once in the room, she grabs fresh clothes and heads to the bathroom. She gets into the shower and washes her hair and body quickly and redresses not ten minutes later. But as she walks back into the bedroom, she pauses mid-step.

"Colonel Rhodes," she says, a pleasant mask sliding over her face. She's unsure of her position when it comes to the older man. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I didn't know anyone was in here." The man replies as he looks at her suspiciously. She didn't know if that was because Tony hadn't told him that she was here or if he was going to look at her like that for the rest of his life. Or, maybe, it's because she's in Tony's bedroom.

"I was just leaving." She tells him as she starts moving again. Walking over to her side of the bed, she grabs her phone off the charger and her wallet off the nightstand. Natasha tries not to glance at Rhodes too much as she grabs her boots out of the closet and slips them on. She can feel him watching her movements and she knows that he's reading the environment. She knows that it's obvious this isn't her first night sleeping in Tony's bed.

"So, what is this?" Rhodes finally asks her and she has to fight not to wince.

"What?" She asks him, hoping that maybe if she plays dumb, or at least oblivious, he won't try to dig too deeply. Because she doesn't know what to tell him. She doesn't know what this is, really. She knows how she feels but she won't say it to anyone else until Tony himself knows. And she's not quite ready to be that vulnerable with Tony. Because she doesn't know what this is to him.

"What are you doing with Tony? Why are you here? Is this a last ditch effort to keep him on your side?" Each word was louder than the last as Rhodes moves closer to her, the wheelchair silent on the carpet.

"No." Natasha answers. "It's not like that."

"Then what is it like?" His tone is exasperated, frustrated. "Because he's been hurt enough and I'm tired of seeing it. I'm tired. He gave you people everything. And you took, and took, and took, until he didn't have anything else you wanted then they abandoned him. So, why are you here? What makes you different?"

Natasha understands the anger, she deserves it. She has never claimed to be a good person and she won't claim it now, she decides. She will give him as much of the truth as she can.

"I'm not." She sighs, leaning against the dresser behind her and crossing her arms. "I took everything I could from him, every chance I got. And yes, I'm here, taking. But, now? Now, I'm trying to give back. I have taken things all of my life. Mostly other's lives. I was always willing to do whatever it took."

She has to pause for a moment and just breathe. Rhodes doesn't speak, letting her gather her thoughts and calm her emotions. She wants to thank him but she knows better. He's not doing it for her.

"I don't know how many more times I'm going to hurt someone that cares about me. I won't say it will never happen because it might. People have never really mattered, only the mission. The greater good. Now, I don't have a mission. There's no job, no objective. There's only me and Tony. And I don't know why I'm here. I just know that I can't be anywhere else. Because he matters."

Natasha realizes she's looking at the carpet by the time she finishes talking. For a moment, she remembers Tony saying that they would burn it down together. He'd obviously been awake that night on the island when she'd said those words to him. But he never said anything.

"For some reason, Tony wants you around. You wouldn't be here otherwise." Rhodes says and she looks up because his voice is coming from near the door, not in front of her. He's in the doorway, turned away from her, preparing to leave. "But I'm telling you now, if you screw this up, you won't get another chance. I'll personally make sure of it."

With that, Rhodes leaves the room and Natasha sits on the unmade bed. His threat doesn't bother her. She knows that he means it and she can only take it as a good thing, a sign of how much he cares for Tony. She stands up again, starts to make the bed before being interrupted by Friday.

"Miss Romanov, Boss would like you to tell you that he left a StarkPad for you, loaded with all of the files about Dr. Foster and Miss Lewis, plus, additional ones regarding the job offer." The AI announces.

"Thanks, Friday. Is he still here?" She asks, swiping her hand across the covers to smooth out the wrinkles.

"He just left." She answers. "And, Miss Romanov, thank you."

Natasha glances up with a furrowed brow but Friday stays silent. Hmm. She leaves the room after a cursory glance over everything. Tony has a cleaning service once a week, but Natasha knows that he still tries to keep everything tidy and she's the same way.

As she walks down the hallway towards the elevator, she can't help but think about who she used to be compared to who she is now. It was like looking in the mirror every day. There was no noticeable change but, look at a photograph from five years ago and it was like another person was staring back. She knew that she had a long way to go, but she was trying.

For a while after the Battle of New York, she'd been stuck on what Loki had said on the helicarrier. _Can you really wipe out that much red?_ For a short time, she'd almost lost herself. Because of eight words. Then Tony had still treated her the same, as if she was just a normal person. He'd treated them all exactly the same, no better or worse than him. And she'd savored it.

As she steps into the kitchen area, she catches sight of Vision standing at the stove, cooking an omelet.

"Miss Romanov, I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of preparing breakfast."

"Not at all." She reassures Vision. Natasha knows that he likes to cook and his food is usually good.

"Mr. Stark has asked me to inform you that you can ask me any questions you may have until he is available later this afternoon." Vision tells her as he puts the perfect looking omelet onto the plate. "I have reviewed the files and taken the opportunity to do further research into our soon-to-be guests."

"Thanks, Vis." She sits at the kitchen island as he hands her the plate and slides the salt and pepper to her. A mug of coffee is placed near her with a pot of cream and sugar cubes.

"There has also been a recent development regarding Shield. I have not had the chance to speak to Mr. Stark, in depth, about it but he told me that I should bring the information regarding your previous organization directly to you."

"Shield?" She asks. She didn't know there was a Shield.

"Former Director Fury contacted me recently about the organization putting itself back together. I believe Friday was supposed to mention the files."

"She did, I just didn't know it was about Shield." Natasha assures him as her mind starts racing with possibilities. "Would it be my old job back?" Natasha asks him. She doesn't show anything but polite curiosity, though she wonders, suddenly, if Tony wants her gone.

"No." Vision replies quickly. "I do not believe so. From what I understand, you would be in charge of our side of things."

"Our side of things?" And really, she's starting to feel like a parrot.

"You would be coordinating with whoever runs New Shield, that sort of thing. You would, technically, be the director of the Avengers, in a way."

"I'd have to know more about it, but it sounds like something I'd be interested in." She finally answers Vision.

"Also, Dr. Foster and her assistant, Miss Lewis, will be here earlier than originally planned. Something about the new inhuman situation."

"Inhuman situation?" Natasha asks, her tone slightly more serious than previously. "You mean the sudden surge in people getting powers because of fish?"

"Yes. Apparently, it reacts oddly if you are electrocuted. We may also have new teammates. I haven't finished the files yet but from what I gather, Miss Lewis and Dr. Foster are both changed."

"Okay." Natasha replies as she blows out a breath slowly. "I can handle the situation. I have plenty of experience with unusual situations."

"That is good to hear. I'd been concerned I would be in this with only Mr. Stark as help. And while he is more than capable, I fear he has taken on too many responsibilities as of late."

She finishes her food and places her plate in the dishwasher before helping put the left-overs in containers. Vision told her months ago that that he wanted to start donating the extra food he cooked and she can't help her small smile at that memory. They work quietly for a few minutes before he politely clears his throat.

"If you would like some assistance in reviewing the files, I believe I could be of service."

Natasha isn't sure if he is lonely, or if he genuinely likes doing work like that but she nods slowly. She grabs her coffee mug, refilling it and adding cream and sugar, knowing she'll need it if she's going to be doing research. "That would be great. Is there an office somewhere that we can use? I'm not familiar with some of the administrative areas of the compound."

"Mr. Stark has offered me an office next to his. Though, he is rarely there, as he does most work in his workshop." Vison answers her as he puts the lid on the last container and gets it ready to be picked up by a Stark Industries employee.

"Great. Let's do it." Vision smiles kindly and nods his head before leading the way.


	12. Chapter 12 - Perfect Storm

**_If she was a drink, she'd be single barrel bourbon on ice,_**

 ** _Smooth with a kick, a chill and a burn all at the same time,_**

 ** _She's Sunday drive meets high-speed chase,_**

 ** _She ain't just a song, she's the whole mixtape,_**

 ** _She's so complicated that's the way God made her,_**

 ** _Sunshine mixed with a little hurricane,_**

 ** _And she destroys me in that t-shirt,_**

 ** _And I love her so much it hurts I never meant to fall like this,_**

 ** _But she don't just rain, she pours,_**

 ** _That girl right there's the perfect storm_**

 ** _I know how to make her laugh or blush or mad at me,_**

 ** _But that's OK, there ain't no one more beautiful angry,_**

 ** _And she loves just as deep as she goes when she's down,_**

 ** _The highs match the lows, can't have one without the other,_**

 ** _And I love her just the way God made her,_**

 ** _Sunshine mixed with a little hurricane,_**

 ** _And she destroys me in that t-shirt,_**

 ** _And I love her so much it hurts,_**

 ** _I never meant to fall like this,_**

 ** _But she don't just rain, she pours,_**

 ** _That girl right there's the perfect storm,_**

 ** _She's the thrill of a lifetime a guy like me spends his whole life looking for,_**

 ** _That girl right there's the perfect storm,_**

 ** _Woah-oh-oh Woah-oh-oh_**

 ** _(She destroys me in that t-shirt)_**

 _ **Perfect Storm – Brad Paisley**_

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As soon as Tony returns from his meeting with Pepper, Friday grabs his attention.

"Boss, Miss Romanov and Vision would like you to meet them in Vision's office."

"Something wrong, Fri?" He can't help but ask her, worry automatically tightening his features.

"No, Boss. I believe it's about Miss Romanov's job offer."

Tony nods to himself as he strips his suit jacket off and throws it over the back of a chair. He removes his tie and drops it onto the jacket before heading towards Vision's office. He rolls up his sleeves as he goes, wishing he'd stopped to change but not willing to take the time in case this was bad news. He'd much rather get it over with.

Pausing in the doorway, he catches sight of Natasha pacing in front of Vision's desk, a StarkPad in her hand as she reads aloud. Vision is sitting behind the desk, his hands folded on the neatly organized surface as he focuses all of his attention on what she's saying. Tony is easily distracted as he realizes that the t-shirt Natasha is wearing is one of his. It's an old Def Leppard band tee. She looks relaxed in the t-shirt, distressed skinny jeans, and motorcycle boots. He's definitely digging the look.

A throat clearing catches his attention and he realizes that he'd just been standing in the doorway, staring.

"Friday said you wanted to see me about the job offer?" He asks, not even slightly ashamed or embarrassed about how easily he'd been distracted.

"Yeah." Natasha says with a small smirk. "I think I'm gonna take the job. Vision said he'd like to assist me."

"Okay." Tony replies as he moves into the room and sits down on the couch against the wall. "Well, we'll need to set up a meeting with Rhodey, since he's going to be the new Avengers leader. You're okay with that right?"

"Sure." Natasha responds but Tony catches the wary look in her eyes before she covers it.

"With his experience with the military, I thought he would be the best candidate for field leadership. If we have any covert missions, any recon situations, you'd be our go-to, since that's your field of expertise. But we should really schedule a meeting to talk more in-depth."

"Yeah, absolutely." She says, a little more confident sounding than previously. "It sounds like you want more of a democratic setting."

"Exactly." Tony tells her with a grin as he breathes a sigh of relief. She gets it. "So, I'm starving. How about we talk about your new job over lunch?"

"Sounds good."

"Fri, order double the usual from the Japanese place." He says as he pulls out his phone to open the files he needs to look at. "And see if Rhodey can schedule in a meeting for some time this week to discuss the New Avengers Initiative."

They spend the rest of the afternoon going over the files Fury had sent to Tony, most of them being files that not even Natasha had known about as Fury had kept them secret as a security measure. When it is nearing three Vision made hums slightly and Tony snaps his head up to look at him.

"What is it?" He asks the other man.

"I was just reviewing the files on Dr. Foster and Miss Lewis that they had compiled on themselves." Vis answers as he keeps scanning the document. "We know that they both went through the change at the same time, and that Dr. Selvig accidentally shot both of their cocoons with Miss Lewis's Taser. What I do not quite understand is why they are just now bringing this to our attention."

"Maybe they were scared?" Tony speaks up. "I mean, Selvig and Foster both knew people that had worked with Bruce and Lewis attended Culver University. They've seen how some people react to those that are different."

"Perhaps." Vision says as he puts his tablet down on his desk.

Tony glances next to him, at Natasha, but though she's looking at Vision, she's still mostly sprawled across the sofa. Her legs are on the back of the couch, her socked feet resting on the wall, and her back is pressed against the cushions. She's got her head turned towards him and Vision but she's looking at the upside down. He likes seeing her so relaxed.

When she turns her head to look at him, a softness enters her gaze and he can't help but smile. His position, sitting on the floor with his back pressed to the couch, puts their faces close enough together that it's easy to lean towards her and press his lips to hers.

Tony had really meant for it to be a peck on the lips. But then, Natasha's tongue traces the seam of his lips and he easily parts them for her. It's strange kissing someone upside down, but in a way, it makes it hotter. He loses track of himself when one of her hands slides into his hair and he can't help but reach for her. She releases him and suddenly her legs are flipping over her torso and then she's crouched in front of him, a grin he's never seen on her lips.

Natasha crawls forward and straddles his lap. The move startles him back to reality and he looks over her shoulder only to see that Vision has already left the room. He would feel bad about embarrassing him but then Natasha is pressing her lips to his, dragging her teeth over his bottom lip and he can't think.

He's stated before that, despite popular belief, he can be in a relationship with a woman, even sleep in the same bed as her, and it not turn to sex. But he'd be lying if he said that Natasha is the type of woman it's damn near impossible to resist. She's smart, funny, cunning, and dangerous. She's amazing. And it's been a really long time for him.

So, when the beautiful redhead in his lap grinds her hips down on his, he can't help but respond in kind. They kiss again and he grips her hips, pulling her tighter against him as her lips move over his jaw and down his throat, biting at the sensitive skin.

Natasha's hands have pulled his shirt free from his pants and her hands are sliding up his stomach until he remembers he wanted to take her out tonight, he wanted to figure this thing out between them before he was in too deep. So, he loosens his hold on her hips until it's more of a caress than a grip. When she comes back to his lips, he slows them down by making his kiss gentler, softer.

"I don't think we have time for this. Our reservation is at seven, tonight, and if we start this now, we won't make it."

Natasha laughs and it's huskier than usual, causing his gut to tighten further. With one last rotation of her hips, she gets up and reaches down to offer Tony a hand. He gladly accepts it and then pauses as he almost laughs himself.

"Fri, tell Vis I'm sorry about that." Tony tells her and Natasha just smirks as she turns away from him and grabs her StarkPad. "I'm gonna go to the shop, I have a few things I need to check on."

"Okay." Natasha answers him with a smug grin on her lips as she leaves.

Tony hurries to his workshop, hoping that he can occupy himself until their date. He doesn't think that he could be around Natasha without finishing what they'd started. Occupying himself was the best option for avoiding screwing up his plans.

It's a while later when Friday interrupts his work. "Boss, if you want to make your reservation you should start getting ready. I don't think Miss Romanov would appreciate you making her late."

"Thanks, Fri." He replies as he closes down his work and heads for his room. Natasha isn't there, but he's not surprised. He's slightly surprised when he sees a suit hanging on the back of his closet door with a note pinned to it that say: wear me.

After quickly showering and trimming his goatee, Tony complies with the instructions and puts on the suit. The pants and jacket are black but the vest, shirt, tie, and handkerchief are all a red color that matches his Iron Man suit. The red, silk material caught the lights and causes them to gleam. He really likes this suit. He quickly smears some mousse through his hair, finger-combing it into casual disarray.

"Boss, Miss Romanov is waiting in the living area when you're ready." Friday says and Tony takes a deep breath before releasing it slowly. He's not nervous. He's done this a million times. He keeps repeating that as he leaves the room and heads to meet Natasha.

Okay, he's definitely nervous, he decides, when he catches sight of Natasha. She's standing in the middle of the floor and he stops walking as he just takes her in. A gold dress with a black lace overlay hugs her figure from shoulders to thighs, leaving her legs almost completely bare. The gold is strapless but the lace offers a tantalizing glimpse of skin on her collarbones, shoulders, and arms. Any shorter and the dress would be indecent. Not that he minded.

"How do I look?" She asks with bright red lips that match her six inch heels and his suit. She does a small turn and his jaw slackens when he sees that the gold material only covers her butt, the whole back is lace. Her hair is covered by a short blonde wig done in beach waves. The ends brush her jaw as she faces him again.

"Wow." He breathes out finally. Her smile brightens her whole face.

"Wow, yourself." She tells him as she steps towards him "You always have cleaned up good."

Tony holds his arm out for Natasha to take and together, they head for the garage and Tony's car collection. He ends up choosing the black Lotus Elise to drive to the restaurant. He doesn't get to drive it much and it handles like a dream.

Pulling up to the restaurant, the valet looks nervous catching the keys. His partner stares a little too long at Natasha's legs but Tony just smirks. He's never been the real jealous type. He notices a few paparazzi hanging around but they haven't noticed him yet so he leads Natasha into the restaurant and they're guided to their table. It's all the way in the back, in a dimly lit corner.

As they're seated, he notes how impeccable the service is as they offer menus and drinks. Conversation flows smoothly as they eat, sharing a bottle of wine and laughing. He's not even close to nervous once dessert is ordered.

When the valet brings the car back around, Tony opens Natasha's door for her. Before she steps in, she moves closer to him, placing one small, slim hand against his chest. She barely has to lift up as he leans slightly down and his lips meet hers. A camera flashes and she just smiles into the kiss before pulling away, keeping her face carefully hidden. She slides into the car and Tony closes her door before rounding the hood and sliding behind the wheel. He knows that picture will land on the front page of every gossip rag in America.

They reach the compound without incident but as soon as they're inside and headed to their bedroom he's suddenly feeling nervous again. He knows it doesn't show outwardly, though.

"Friday, activate privacy protocols for the rest of the night." Natasha says as she closes the door to their room and turns to face Tony, grabbing his tie and pulling him closer.


	13. Chapter 13 - Remember

**_Come closer, breathe deeper, just take it in,_**

 ** _Make love to me gently, over and over again,_**

 ** _If it's all I can take, I'll remember it all, remember it all,_**

 ** _If it's all I can take, I'll remember it all, remember it all,_**

 ** _One moment imprinted inside my mind,_**

 ** _Could there be more to this love,_**

 ** _Or will it be left behind?_**

 ** _'_** ** _Cause of it's all I can take, I'll remember it all, remember it all,_**

 ** _If it's all I can take, I'll remember it all, remember it all._**

 ** _Remember – Kari Kimmel_**

Natasha catches Tony's swallow as she locks down the room so that they won't be interrupted. She won't lie and say that she isn't nervous, but she also feels confident. So, she reaches for his tie and slowly pulls him towards her, meeting him halfway.

Their lips meet slowly and she sighs into his mouth as his tongue barely brushes her bottom lip. Natasha doesn't think she's ever moved this slowly with someone. But then again, this is completely different than anything she's ever done.

Slowly, she parts her lips further urging Tony to do the same. She can taste the Kahlua and vanilla ice cream they'd shared as their tongues begin moving in a pale imitation of what is, hopefully, to come. When Tony pulls away, she lets him, and he guides her to the bed, motioning for her to sit. He removes his shoes as she takes off her wig and runs her fingers through her short hair so it isn't completely flattened.

Tony walks back to her and leans down for a kiss as she reaches for his belt buckle, pulling the leather from the belt loops on his pants. He stands up straight when she leans back slightly and she unbuttons his vest while still seated. He shrugs off the material and starts on the top buttons of his shirt as she starts on the bottom buttons. They make quick work of the task and he's shrugging off that, too, as she unbuttons his slacks. Pressing red lips to his hipbone, she flicks her tongue over his skin lightly and smiles at the sharp inhale she hears.

She moves to do it again but Tony steps back and kneels in front of her. He slips her heels off, one by one, massaging her feet lightly before pressing a kiss to each knee. His hands skim up her thighs and she shivers at how rough they feel. The callouses from his work are a sharp contrast to her soft skin. His lips gently follow the path of his hands, kissing up one thigh and then the other. Her hands move to his head of their own accord, running through the soft, brown locks.

Tony stands up, pulling her with him, to reach the zipper on the back of her dress. He stops, though, before he even starts to tug it down.

"Is this okay? He asks her and she marvels at the sincerity she sees shining in his eyes.

"Yes." She replies firmly. "This is good."

With that, he pulls the zipper down and helps her slide the sleeves down her arms. The dress falls to the ground and Tony's sharp intake of breath makes her smile. Not wearing any undergarments was definitely worth this reaction. Tony falling to his knees is not something she expected, though. He presses a soft kiss to the spot just between her hipbones and then glances up at her, his large brown eyes saying so much.

Before she can move or say anything, he's looking back down at her bared before him and pressing a kiss against her pubic bone. Then his lips brush her clit and it's her turn to sharply gasp. Tony grips her hips tightly, then, and presses his lips more firmly against her. His tongue flicks out and her knees get weak. Luckily, his grip is firm. He pulls back, though, and looks up at her again.

"Lay down." His voice is firm, yet soft. She nods and eases back onto the bed. Tony sheds his slacks and boxer briefs before crawling over her. He's not as close as she wants him but when he presses his lips to hers, she doesn't mind as much.

He moves so slow and gentle as he kisses her lips, her jaw, her throat. His lips make their way over her shoulders then down her chest. She has never been treated this way. Her heart races and her throat tightens at the feelings threatening to overwhelm her. He kisses his way over her breasts and down her stomach, moving slowly as if he's mapping her body. And as smart as he is, he might be doing exactly that.

When he reaches her slit, her nerve endings are so sensitive that she immediately cries out. Her fingers bury themselves in his hair as he lifts her thighs over his shoulders. He brings one hand up and pushes a finger inside her as his mouth works, his tongue sliding over her folds. She cries out again, wondering how much more she can take before it's too much. As it turns out, not much, because as soon as his lips wrap around her clit and suck, she's falling over that edge. Her back arches and her fingers grip his hair tighter but he doesn't stop as he pushes her over once more before bringing her back down.

Tony is just as gentle with her on his journey back over her body as he was at the beginning. And she knows, no matter where this goes, no matter what happens, she will never forget this. It has changed her.

His lips slant over hers and she kisses him deeply but softly, wanting it to last, not wanting to be treated as if because of her background and codename all she wants is a hard fuck. No, she wants this. She wants to make love.

Switching their positions is fairly easy, even if her legs are shaking enough that she knows they won't hold her up. Then, she's the one paying attention to Tony. She's kissing her way along his jaw and down his throat. She runs loving hands over his chest as she kisses the spot where the reactor used to be. Tony gasps when she does and she looks up at him, meeting his eyes, and he reaches for her, caressing the side of her face.

But then, she moving down again, kissing his stomach and his hipbones. She grips his length in her hand before taking him into her mouth as her eyes stay locked with his. His eyes widen and he takes a deep breath as her lips wrap around him, her cheeks hollowing out as she pulls back up.

It only takes a few more times before Tony is coming but she doesn't pull away. Instead, she stays there, draining him of every last drop. She doesn't release him form her mouth until he's starting to go soft and then she makes her way up his body, much the way he did her.

When she kisses his lips lightly, he tugs her close, holding her for a moment. He only pulls away to maneuver them so they're under the covers instead of on them. Tony doesn't hesitate to wrap himself around her as they start to drift off and she lets him, savoring the closeness and warmth he gives her so freely.

If she's going to remember this forever, she's going to make sure it's one of her best memories.

 ** _Meanwhile in the Middle of Nowhere_**

"Could he have a bigger ego?" Clint asks out of nowhere and Sam glances up from the book he'd been reading. He sees a magazine in Clint's hand and it takes him a second to realize it has Stark on the cover. The headline reads: _Another Mystery Woman? Is Tony Stark back to his playboy ways?_

On the cover was a recent picture of Stark sitting at a café with Pepper Potts, laughing. The picture next to it was from the airport when he'd left on vacation. A picture below that showed a blonde with a killer body smiling as she kissed Stark. Her face wasn't clear but their outfits were and Sam couldn't help but roll his eyes. Matching outfits? In Iron Man's colors? Who did this guy think he was?

"I wonder how much he paid her." Clint says as he starts flipping through the magazine, presumably looking for the article. "She's gotta be pretty high-end. Stark may be an arrogant ass, but he's not cheap."

"Maybe you shouldn't say that about a woman you've never met and don't know anything about?" Scott suggests with an affronted look thrown their way.

"Why else would she be with Stark? Unless she's a gold digger. He did make Potts CEO, after all." Clint replies and Sam flinches slightly.

"Dude." He reprimands but Clint just ignores him. Scott looks disgusted as he throws his hands up and heads for the room connected to theirs.

"I'm done." He mumbles and Sam narrows his eyes. But no, Scott wouldn't leave. He was just done with Clint. They didn't get along that great, after all. Even when Scott tried to be friendly. Sam was sure that Scott meant he was done trying to be friends with Clint.

That had to be it. Right? So, why didn't it feel right?


	14. Chapter 14 - Welcome to the Jungle

**_Welcome to the jungle, we've got fun 'n' games,_**

 ** _We got everything you want, honey, we know the names,_**

 ** _We are the people that can find, whatever you may need,_**

 ** _If you got the money, honey, we got your disease,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, watch it bring you to your knees, knees,_**

 ** _I wanna watch you bleed,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, we take it day by day,_**

 ** _If you want it you're gonna bleed, but it's the price you pay,_**

 ** _And you're a very sexy girl, that's very hard to please,_**

 ** _You can taste the bright lights, but you won't get them for free,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, feel my, my, my serpentine,_**

 ** _I, I wanna hear you scream,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, it gets worse here every day,_**

 ** _Ya learn ta live like an animal, in the jungle where we play,_**

 ** _If you got a hunger for what you see, you'll take it eventually,_**

 ** _You can have anything you want, but you better not take it from me,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, watch it bring you to your knees, knees,_**

 ** _I'm gonna watch you bleed,_**

 ** _And when you're high you never, ever want to come down, so down, down, yeah!_**

 ** _You know where you are?_**

 ** _You're in the jungle, baby,_**

 ** _You're gonna die,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, watch it bring you to your knees, knees,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, feel my, my, my serpentine,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle, watch it bring you to your knees, knees,_**

 ** _In the jungle,_**

 ** _Welcome to the jungle,_**

 ** _Watch it bring you to your..._**

 ** _It's gonna bring you down, Ha!_**

 **** ** _Welcome to the Jungle – Guns –N- Roses_**

T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$

When Tony wakes up the next morning, he doesn't know what to say about the previous night but since Natasha is still lying next to him, her bare back exposed as she sleeps, he figures he probably doesn't have to say anything.

He notices his phone blinking and grabs it off the nightstand, reading the text that Friday has sent him.

 _Boss, the press conference to introduce the New Avengers is in three hours. Your meeting with the UN is in two._

"Thanks, Fri." He tells her.

Rolling over, he runs one callused palm down Natasha's back from her nape to her lower back. She sighs before turning her head to look at him.

"We should start getting ready." Her voice is husky with sleep and her green eyes are soft and glowing.

"Yeah." He tells her. The meeting is to sign official papers saying that she is reinstated, though on a probationary level. The world doesn't know what she'd done at the airport but the UN does. And they don't trust her. She is still needed, though.

The press conference is to let the world know that Iron Man, Vision, and War Machine are still there to protect them and to introduce Iron Widow and Progeny.

Natasha showers first as Tony gets coffee. Then he showers as she goes to make them bagels for breakfast.

He dons another expensive Italian suit. He forgoes all black in favor of a pastel blue dress shirt, a sky blue vest, navy blue trousers with a matching jacket and a sky blue silk tie with a matching handkerchief in the jacket pocket.

Natasha is wearing high waisted skinny slacks in a deep black, a blood red silk shirt with short sleeves and matching shoes. The heels have tiny silver spikes running up the back of them and Tony can't stop staring. Because her outfit hugs her curves so perfectly and he can't stop wondering what the spikes would feel like digging into his back.

His eyes finally make it to her face and her lips are the same color as her shirt. Her eye makeup is more subtle but the green seems brighter than normal. Her hair is styled into a faux hawk a few inches high, the sides and back smoothed down to look shorter.

They eat quickly before heading to the meeting room. The UN had agreed to send a representative to the compound as they held the meeting over a video conference. They didn't want a gossip rag finding out anything going on today.

The meeting is over fairly quickly, which Tony is thankful for, because one of the UN member made a comment about Natasha using her "feminine wiles" to get Tony on her side and he'd been forced to bite his tongue.

Sure, Tony had made a snide comment after the airport battle about being a double agent, but no one else was allowed to say those things.

They head towards the back of the compound for their suits. Friday is projecting the audio as Pepper walks onto the stage and clears her throat.

"We asked all of you here today to assure you that the Avengers are still here to help. The fugitives are still on the run, yes, but the law-abiding, accords approved Avengers are here to stand for you. They are here to listen to you. They are here to help you." She says once they quiet down so she can begin.

When he glances at her, Natasha looks over at him and tilts her head with a smile.

"I know that the public has had a love-hate relationship with the Avengers. You have questioned their choices. You have applauded their choices. You've yelled at them to stay away and begged them to come help. They didn't always listen to you. That's what they're here to do now. They're here to respect the citizens of this world and respect their choices."

Tony lets the suit wrap around him as Natasha does the same. He always loves this part and he's glad that Natasha had agreed to Friday's idea. "I know some of you have been anxious about their lack of numbers, but I can tell you with full confidence that their numbers are strong. War Machine and Vision could not be here today, though they are both still active duty members. Now, the Avengers would like to introduce you to their newest member. Progeny."

The music begins to blare and he can't help but smile when the crowd gasps. Welcome to the Jungle was Friday's only real request for their introduction. She is her father's daughter. Friday is wearing her, personally designed, Progeny armor as she flies over the crowd and does a few aerial spins, Tony and Natasha following behind her. They don't want to take away from her moment so they don't do any flashy moves.

Friday lands on the stage in what he's come to realize is her own signature move. Her feet are planted, one in front of the other, as she stands slightly sideways. Her arms are bent at the elbows, hands up in a ready stance. Tony can fully admit to himself that letting Friday design her own armor was an amazing idea. She looks dangerous and intimidating in the matte black armor with silver accents.

The armor is six feet and eight inches of vibranium and adamantium infused gold and titanium alloy. When he'd gotten the idea, he'd let Friday check out previous armor specs, since she was built as a combat AI with learning capabilities. And she likes Halo games and Robocop movies.

There are two automatic .45s under each thigh plate, non-lethal ammo, two combat knives strapped to her lower back, and a staff with electrical stunning capabilities that went down her spine, the same material as the suit. She also has the repulsor blasts. The armor itself is sleek and slim, not bulky like some of his other armors. There's no arc reactor light visible in the chest, instead, Friday had opted to place her reactors on the inside of the suit. For protection.

Besides being able to provide aerial support, she's proficient in multiple types of hand to hand combat.

Tony and Natasha land behind her silently, Natasha mimicking his landing, all of them stand slowly, letting the crowd take them in. He knows Friday would be smiling if she could.

Their armor matches, but not perfectly. Natasha's is matte black with matte red pieces and a matte red hourglass on the chest piece. Her reactor is also hidden from sight. Tony's suit is matte black with pieces of red and gold that shines in the light.

There's a moment of silence as the song gets quieter and then the small crowd is roaring with questions. Tony and Natasha flip up their face plates before letting the suits open up to let them step forward. Unsurprisingly, Natasha's hair is still perfect and she's still wearing her killer heels.

And Tony really wants to kiss her.

 ** _Meanwhile in the Middle of Nowhere_**

They had caught wind of Tony's press conference and Steve can only shake his head as Pepper speaks. Nothing she's saying makes sense and he has to wonder why the public is eating it up. He can't stop the eye roll when a loud, grating song starts to play. Of course, Tony would want a show.

"Who's Progeny?" He hears Clint ask and he only shakes his head. The camera angle switches to show three suits flying in the bright blue sky and he clenches his jaw. The suggestive lyrics make him vaguely uncomfortable but he's more worried about the type of people Tony would give access to his suits. He isn't exactly the best judge of character.

"Wow." Sam whispers as the first figure lands. "That is terrifying."

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Clint growls as two other figures land and Steve sees one of them with Natasha's infamous symbol painted on the chest. "He can't just replace her."

Steve pats Clint's shoulder gently, but he keeps his attention on the press conference. The three suits look more like a Black Ops unit than Avengers. People weren't going to want such intimidating figures trying to save them.

"What the fuck?!" Clint yells and Steve almost admonishes him but he understands his stress. He realizes he'd lost track of what was happening on the television because when he refocused, Natasha was stepping out of the suit with her symbol on its chest. Her hair was unbelievably short and he didn't much care for it, but otherwise she looked the same.

With a glance at Clint, Steve decides not to comment on the fact that she'd obviously never been loyal to them. She was obviously on Tony's side and Steve could only hope that she had some plan to turn the other man to their way of thinking.

"Do you think she's been with him the whole time?" Sam asks softly and there's something in his voice that Steve can't quite place.

"It doesn't matter. We've already lost Scott. Natasha is obviously on Tony's side. We need a plan to stop these Accords. There has to be something we can do."

He watches silently as Clint slams out of the room they're in. There's not much he can say to make his teammate feel better about the recent turn of events. His focus was better spent on something that would help them fix this mess.


	15. Chapter 15 - You Save Me

**_Every now and then I get a little lost, my strings all get tangled, my wires all get crossed,_**

 ** _Every now and then I'm right up on the edge, dangling my toes out over the ledge,_**

 ** _I just thank God you're here,_**

 ** _'Cause when I'm a bullet shot out of a gun,_**

 ** _'Cause when I'm a firecracker comin' undone,_**

 ** _Or when I'm a fugitive ready to run, all wild-eyed and crazy,_**

 ** _No matter where my reckless soul takes me, baby you save me,_**

 ** _It's hard lovin' a man that's got a gypsy soul,_**

 ** _I don't know how you do it, I'm not sure how you know,_**

 ** _The perfect thing to say to save me from myself, you're the angel that believes in me like nobody else,_**

 ** _And I thank God you do,_**

 ** _'Cause when I'm a bullet shot out of a gun,_**

 ** _When I'm a firecracker coming undone,_**

 ** _When I'm a fugitive ready to run, all wild-eyed and crazy,_**

 ** _No matter where my reckless soul takes me, baby you save me,_**

 ** _I know I don't tell you nearly enough, that I couldn't live one day without your love,_**

 ** _When I'm a ship tossed around on the waves, up on a high wire that's ready to break,_**

 ** _When I've had just about all I can take, baby you, baby you save me,_**

 ** _When I'm a bullet shot out of a gun,_**

 ** _When I'm a firecracker coming undone,_**

 ** _When I'm a fugitive ready to run, all wild-eyed and crazy,_**

 ** _No matter where my reckless soul takes me,_**

 ** _Baby you save me_**

 ** _You Save Me-Kenny Chesney_**

The press coverage of Progeny's reveal is still going strong two days later and Natasha admits that she has enjoyed seeing Tony so proud of his 'child'.

Dr. Foster and Darcy Lewis had arrived that morning with the message that Thor would return in a few weeks with Lady Sif. When Darcy said the other woman's name her electric blue eyes lit up with a smile. Like they are now as they're standing in the training room. Both women are in very interesting gear and Natasha is in her customized suit.

Darcy wears black leather pants with a black top made of a softer looking material. The top is sleeveless, with a high neck. The black color makes her pale skin appear even paler. Electric blue, leather boots cover her feet. Four silver buckles go up the backs of her calves from her ankles to just under the bend of her knee. The front of the boots comes up higher, almost to mid-thigh. Against the wall is a pliable chest piece, though the strange metal is matte black, electric blue runes are carved into it.

Jane's outfit is different. She wears softer looking pants in a deep purple. A black gladiator skirt, only a few inches long and coming to a V-shape in the front and back rests on her hips. Her shirt is a lighter, but still dark, purple. That material, too, looks soft. Her chest plate also rests against the wall beside Darcy's but where Darcy's reminds her of electricity, Jane's reminds her of space. Of galaxies. She wears almost the same boots as Darcy but they're black instead of blue.

"So, you got powers like Thor's plus speed and durability, correct?" Natasha asks Darcy and the brunette nods. "And you, Dr. Foster, received powers as well, along with super strength and flight?"

"Yes. And please, call me Jane." The other woman answers. She's tiny, even compared to Natasha but at the spies urging, she moved to the free weights and picked up one of the fifty pound weights without a bit of strain. Then she casually tossed it in her hand, catching it on its way back down and doing it again.

"Okay." Natasha said impressed. "How hard is it to hurt you, Darcy?"

"I'm positive that a normal human wouldn't be able to. Heimdall told Thor what happened and he was worried, so he came and got us for a little while. When it was discovered what we could do individually, he had Lady Sif work on training us. Some of what she taught me is useful because I can't get hurt, but she also relies a lot on brute strength and while I am stronger than I was before, I'm not nearly as strong as Jane."

"We'll see what you can do on the mats shortly. It's not noted in my file but I'm slightly enhanced. More like you than Jane. Fast, agile, durable. I don't have the brute strength either. Once you're evaluated, we can see what we need to work on and how you feel about field work. What about you Jane?"

"Sif taught me as well, but she was more useful to me except where her height is an advantage."

"Okay. Tony or Friday may want to work with you. He has a strain of Extremis in his blood that helps with healing, a little strength, a lot of durability. Friday operates Progeny and her suit is nearly indestructible."

"Nearly?" Darcy asks and Natasha nods.

"We don't like to deal in absolutes here. Things change. There may be someone out in the universe that could damage the armor. We haven't met them yet, though. Moving on, Tony will want to check out your gear and most likely he'll want to add trackers and a comm system. It's for your safety, if anything happens in the field."

"Sure." Both women answer and Natasha feels her shoulders relax.

"Have either of you picked code names? For field work?" She asks them and they share a glance with each other.

"Thor sort of did it for us. When we started training." Jane answers. "I'm Super Nova. She's Lady Lightning."

"Friday?" She calls to the AI. "Can you mark that in their files?"

"Yes, Natasha. Excuse me for interrupting, but it appears former director Fury is here to see you and Boss." The AI replies and Natasha turns to face the two new-comers.

"If you want, Friday can direct you to your rooms and you can get settled in." She tells them and they both nod, grabbing their armor from where it rests and following her out the door.

"Right this way, please." Friday says to them. "Former director Fury is in conference room B, Natasha. Boss is already there."

Natasha nods to the women and hurries towards the conference rooms. When the women are out of sight, Friday speaks up again.

"Boss wants me to give you a warning, Natasha. He says you're not going to be happy with the former director. Agent Agent appears to be alive and here as well."

Natasha stops in her tracks as she processes that information.

"Are you sure?" She asks the AI, she doesn't know if it'd be better if it's a mistake or not.

"Facial recognition and body scans confirm a ninety-nine percent match. Although, there's a cybernetic enhancement that was non-existent before his death during the Battle of New York."

"Thanks, Friday. Tell Tony thanks for the warning."

"Of course, Miss. And my apologies." The AI stays silent after that and Natasha resumes her path to the conference rooms with a new determination in her step and anger in her eyes.

She's never been one to show her violent tendencies when enraged. She burns hot but she keeps it controlled. So, when she opens the door to the conference area, she does so quietly. There's a polite smile on her face as she turns to make eye contact with first Fury, then not-dead Coulson. She doesn't say anything to either of them before turning away and looking at Tony. She sees the hurt and anger in his eyes and she doesn't care what either of her former superiors think when she moves closer and props her hip on the arm of his chair, her back and side leaning against him.

Tony smoothly raise his arm and wraps it around her waist to help her balance, though she doesn't need it. His forearm rests across her thighs and she places one hand on the sleeve of his suit jacket.

"So, you're why Shield dug itself out of a hole. Makes sense. You did that, too. Both of you did, though Fury was a little more up front with his deception." Her voice is sharp and cutting and she's only slightly satisfied when both men flinch. Tony shifts his grip so that he can squeeze her hip in comfort and she leans slightly into him, her back pressing into his shoulder and chest.

"I wanted to tell you sooner." Coulson speaks up and her eyes snap to his and he stops.

"No." She tells him with a shake of her head, letting some of the hurt bleed past the anger. "If you had really wanted to, you'd have made sure I found out. If you had really cared, you wouldn't let an order stop you."

"Natasha." His eyes are sorrowful but she just shakes her head again.

"I will work with you, if you're the one in charge, but don't expect us to be friends again. Don't expect this to be anything but a working relationship."

"Okay." Coulson tells her with a final nod and she relaxes slightly. "I have a new team that I feel your team should meet. I believe that the relationship could be mutually beneficial."

"If this is going to be a base of operations for you, part-time or not, I'd like to meet them anyways." Tony says and when Natasha glances at him he looks back at her before continuing. "You understand that I can't just let anyone around my family, right? Not without being thoroughly vetted."

"I understand. Although, there's a member of our team that you may not be able to find much information on, as she erased most of it over the years."

"I'm sure between myself, Natasha, Friday, Vision, and one of our newest residents, we'll manage." Tony replies and Natasha catches his shark smile out of the corner of her eye. "Now, is your team still in the quinjet or did they not come with you?"

"They're in the jet." Coulson answers with a slight nod. Fury's been oddly silent through the whole meeting.

"Friday, get your armor and have Vision help you escort Coulson's team from the landing pad. Ask our new residents if they'd like to join you and explain what's going on. I don't want there to be any unpleasant surprises."

Natasha turns her body more towards Tony at that, resting her leg on the chair arm, knee bent so she can reach him without twisting uncomfortably. She keeps one foot planted on the floor and puts a hand on his shoulder as his arm tightens around her waist, his hand now resting on her thigh instead of her hip. When he looks up at her, she ignores Coulson and Fury being in the room, because she's trying not to be who she was forced to be her whole life. So, ignoring their presence, she moves her hand across his shoulder and presses her palm against his neck, then his jaw before sliding it back into his hair.

She's new at offering comfort, but when Tony's head bows slightly and his eyes close, she knows that she's done this right.

Looking back at the two men, she's not surprised to catch them glancing at each other before looking at her and Tony. Natasha just rolls her eyes.

"Boss, we're on the way. Eta, two minutes." Friday says. "Lady Lightning and Super Nova have decided to join us."

"Thanks, Fri." Tony answers as he lifts his head again. He doesn't pull away form Natasha, though so she just stays where she is, her hand in his hair, lightly scratching at his scalp and playing with the strands. No one speaks as they wait for the others to join them. She doesn't know why Fury and Coulson are being so quiet but she just doesn't have anything to say. She figures Tony probably feels the same way as her.

When the door to the office opens, Vision and Darcy walk in followed by a young woman in a black body suit, Agent May, Agent Mackenzie, the science duo of FitzSimmons, and then Jane and Friday.

"Lewis?" Coulson asks surprised. "Foster?"

"I guess today is just full of surprises for everyone, ain't it?" Darcy says sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"You're part of Stark's new team?" Fury asks, with less surprise and more caution than Coulson.

"Fury, Coulson, I'd like to introduce you to my team. Lady Lightning aka Darcy Lewis, Super Nova aka Dr. Jane Foster, Progeny aka Friday, and Vision. You already know me and Natasha, and I'm sure you caught the press conference. Your turn."

"This is Quake, Agent May, Mack, Dr. Fitz, and Dr. Simmons." Coulson says drily but he keeps shooting glances at Darcy and Jane. "I'm sorry, is that Asgardian armor?"

"Yes." Darcy says but she doesn't elaborate.

"Oh, I forgot." Tony says and Natasha knows he hasn't forgotten anything. "Thor will be joining us in less than a month along with Lady Sif."

"Lady Sif?" Both Fury and Coulson speak at the same time but Coulson sounds happy and Fury sounds curious.

"Is there a reason Lady Sif is accompanying Thor on his trip?" Coulson continues.

"Probably so she can see her girlfriend." Jane looks at Darcy with a smirk as Darcy gets a soft smile on her face. Everyone notices.

"Girlfriend?" Coulson's team asks.

The meeting wraps up fairly quickly after that as Tony got Friday and Vision to direct the Shield agents to the guest wing. He shows Fury to a room closer to the Avengers quarters. Natasha leaves the area before everyone could start getting settled in, needing a moment to adjust.

Before when she got like this, she could just pick up and leave. More often than not, Clint understood because he did the same thing. But, she's trying not to be who she was. She doesn't much like that person. So, instead, she goes to her and Tony's room, knowing she can lock the area down so only Tony can get in. And that's what she does.

A few minutes later, Tony comes in, closing the door behind him and leaning against it while he watches her pace back and forth. Finally, he moves forward and she pauses, watching him as he removes his suit jacket. He throws it onto the end of the bed, before loosening his tie and rolling up his sleeves.

"Come here." He tells her and she slowly walks forward. When she's directly in front of her, he takes her hand in his, moving the other one to his shoulder and wraps an arm around her waist. He slowly begins to sway and she catches on quickly.

Laying her head on his shoulder, she lets go of his hand, wrapping her arm around his waist as he wraps both arms around her. They sway slowly as a slow song begins playing through the speakers. There are no words and it makes it easy for her mind to drift.

"I don't understand why he never told me sooner." She finally speaks, her voice cracking, and Tony pulls her tighter against him.

"I don't know, Natasha. I won't pretend I do." He tells her, his voice barely a whisper. "But I will tell you that it's okay to be hurt. To be angry. For as long as you want, you can feel how you want."

"Really?" She asks him because she's never had someone tell her that before.

"Really." He promises her, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"When Friday told me who was here, I almost ran." She confesses, the dimly lit room making it so much easier. "I thought about it. But then I thought about you. And I thought about what we're building here. What we can have."

Tony stays silent but he doesn't pull away. She knows he's listening, letting her talk as they dance slowly in the middle of their bedroom floor.

"I've ran before. It's always been easy. I even offered to run with Bruce before everything happened and he ran by himself. But, running is easy. Staying is hard."

"Yeah, it is." Tony whispers, his arms tightening around her once more before relaxing. "I'm glad you didn't run. Then or now."

"Me, too. And then, I stayed because I thought I had to. This time, I'm staying because I want to. Because I know you'll be here."

His calloused, rough hand slides up along her arm and shoulder, up her neck, to her jaw and he tilts her head back. His brown eyes stare into hers for a moment before his gaze slides to her lips and she doesn't have to think about it. She grips his shoulders and lifts up onto her toes as he leans down slightly.

His lips meet hers and her eyes close as his hand moves from her jaw to the back of her head. His fingers run through the short strands as she opens her mouth under his, her fingers twisting the fabric of his vest as she clenches her fists.

As he pulls back, his fingers slide from her hair and slide along her jaw again. He catches her chin in his fingers, keeping her head turned towards him as his thumb traces over her bottom lip gently.

"I'll be here." He promises. "Can't burn it down without you, though."

"I'll be here." She promises in return. "We're gonna burn it down together."


	16. Chapter 16 - Like I'm Gonna Lose You

**_A/N: I apologize for the update taking so long. I had a really tough class that took up all of my time. The class I'm taking now is pretty laid back so updates will get better soon. Also, I've been re-watching Grey's Anatomy. Sorry about that, though I'm considering throwing in a 'dance party' for Nat, Darcy, Jane, Sif, and whoever else wants to join. I hope everyone enjoys this update, it's a pretty long chapter._**

 ** _I found myself dreaming, in silver and gold,_**

 ** _Like a scene from a movie that every broken heart knows,_**

 ** _We were walking on moonlight, and you pulled me close,_**

 ** _Split second and you disappeared, and then I was all alone,_**

 ** _I woke up in tears, with you by my side,_**

 ** _A breath of relief, and I realized,_**

 ** _No, we're not promised tomorrow,_**

 ** _So I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna hold you, like I'm saying goodbye,_**

 ** _Wherever we're standing, I won't take you for granted, 'cause we'll never know when,_**

 ** _When we'll run out of time,_**

 ** _So, I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _In the blink of an eye, just a whisper of smoke,_**

 ** _You could lose everything, the truth is you never know,_**

 ** _So, I'll kiss you longer, baby, any chance that I get,_**

 ** _I'll make the most of the minutes and love with no regrets,_**

 ** _Let's take our time, to say what we want,_**

 ** _Use what we got, before it's all gone,_**

 ** _'Cause no, we're not promised tomorrow,_**

 ** _So, I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna hold you, like I'm saying goodbye,_**

 ** _Wherever we're standing, I won't take you for granted, 'cause we'll never know when,_**

 ** _When we'll run out of time,_**

 ** _So, I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna hold you, like I'm saying goodbye,_**

 ** _Wherever we're standing, I won't take you for granted, 'cause we'll never know when,_**

 ** _When we'll run out of time,_**

 ** _So, I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you,_**

 ** _I'm gonna love you, like I'm gonna lose you_**

 _ **Like I'm Gonna Lose You-Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend**_

T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$

With a start, Tony wakes up, breathing hard, with wet eyes. He can't quite remember the nightmare but he can remember the cold and vast emptiness of space. He can remember broken bodies and stars and _knowing_ that everything was gone. _Knowing_ that everything was gone because he wasn't prepared, he didn't _do enough_.

He doesn't realize he's sat up until he feels a warm hand touch his bare back. He barely glances over his shoulder as Natasha maneuvers herself to sit behind him, her legs on either side of him and her forehead pressing into the space right between his shoulder blades. Her small, soft hands slide over his ribs and around to his chest.

Natasha doesn't speak as she lifts her head and presses her bare upper body to his back. After their first date and the following activities, she's taken to sleeping in panties and nothing else. Despite their mutual lack of clothing, there's nothing sexual in her touch as she presses as close as she can, her breasts flattening against his back.

Her skin is warm, almost overly so, and it comforts him. Reminds him that he's not trapped in that beautiful, terrible, isolated nothingness. He reaches back with one hand, gripping her thigh tightly. His other hand moves to cover her hands on his chest and he just breathes. He breathes and lets her scent, her warmth, seep into his body. She stays still against him as he breathes.

After a while, he feels his muscles relax, Natasha's following. He wishes he had better words, any words really, for how she helped him and the way she made him feel. But he doesn't, so he says anything and neither does she, as they both sit on the edge of the bed and just breathe.

It's not long before he thinks he may be able to sleep again, and isn't that a wonderful feeling. So, he urges her to slide back on the bed, him following and stretching out on his back. Instead of moving to her own side, Natasha lays half on top of him, matching her breathing to his as their heart rates synchronize. It's a comforting feeling, a good feeling, and before long, he's drifting off again.

Waking up for the second time, he immediately notices that Natasha is no longer in bed. He feels well rested and relaxed.

"Boss, it is ten fifteen in the morning. Spider-kid will be here in an hour and the press briefing with New Shield will be in four hours." Friday announces to him and he just nods as he continues to lay in bed. He knows he needs to get up and take a shower, eat, get ready, but he doesn't want to. He hates all this press stuff but with the in-fighting that happened between members of his new team and the former Avengers, it's a necessity. People want to know they can trust those that have more power than them.

With a sigh, he heaves himself to his feet and takes a hurried shower before pulling on a t-shirt and some lounge pants. He doesn't want to put on a suit until he has to.

Making his way to the kitchen area, he sees Natasha sitting at the island, a plate of toast in front of her with a bowl of peach jam and a small mug of coffee. Her hair is brushed straight back from her face and she's wearing black cotton shorts, a loose, pink t-shirt, and white ankle socks. She smiles at him absently and goes back to looking at her tablet.

Tony pours himself a mug of coffee, nodding at Rhodey as he wheels himself into the kitchen, Vision and Darcy right behind him. Darcy was entirely too happy in the mornings, he's learned over the past week. And he's noticed that she gets happier with every day that passes. He's positive it has something to do with Sif's imminent arrival.

"Okay." The younger woman says and he automatically looks over at her, noticing Natasha and Rhodey do the same. Vision was already looking at her. "What's something you've always wanted to do but never gotten to?"

The question comes from nowhere, the way most of her questions seem to, but Tony figures it's her way to get to know them.

"A tattoo." Natasha replies.

"Get married in Vegas." Is Rhodey's answer.

"Spend a night being completely anonymous." Tony tells her.

"I'm afraid it's a very long list, Darcy." Vision says with a small smile.

"Okay, that's fine." Darcy answers as she heads for the fridge. "Working with Jane, I've seen a lot of crazy things. I very quickly realized that you shouldn't wait for the right time to do something, or you'll end up missing out. So, we're all going to make a list of every single thing we want to do and start checking things off."

Tony can't help but smile as he sees his friends, his family, look surprised and a little happy.

"Have you guys heard anything from Thor or Sif?" He asks the younger woman.

"Heimdall dropped a note on the roof a couple days ago. He says things are taking a little longer than expected but Thor and Sif should still arrive on schedule."

"Doesn't it get weird, sometimes?" He can't help but ask her as he takes a sip of his coffee. "Passing notes like you're in high school?"

"I know, right?" Darcy agrees with him with a smile. "Jane always tries to make it sound all technical with big words and stuff, but really, we're passing notes."

"We're not passing notes!" Jane half-shouts as she steps into the room. "It's intergalactic communication, Darcy."

Tony laughs lightly at Darcy's smirk and raised eyebrow as Jane glares at her friend. He finishes his coffee before pressing a kiss to Natasha's temple, his hand squeezing her upper arm, and mumbles that he's going to his workshop to study Darcy's extra set of gear, an old set that she mainly used for practice. She'd mentioned getting Thor and Sif to bring some bolts of material with them when they came to visit and he wanted to know what it could and couldn't do.

He isn't in his workshop for long when he hears the doors whoosh open quietly and he turns to see Peter looking around the open space as he walks towards him.

"Hey, kid, you got your gear for the press briefing?" He asks him when Peter's halfway across the room.

"Yes, Mr. Stark." Peter replies easily as he watches Tony press a rod to the fabric on the table. Electricity sparks through the tool and touches the fabric but it doesn't burn or singe it. The fabric seems to absorb and redirect the energy. "What's that?"

"It's Darcy's battle gear." Tony tells him, only sparing a glance before looking back at the material. "She can manipulate electric currents. Come on."

Standing up, he heads for the elevator that will take him to the training room, Peter following closely behind him. They're quiet on the ride, but as soon as the doors open, Peter's off the elevator as quickly as possible and staring in awe.

Tony can admit, even to himself, that it's an impressive sight. Darcy and Jane are about twenty feet apart, facing each other. Darcy is wearing the gear that she'd wear if she was in the field and her eyes are a shining blue that reminds Tony of the arc reactors glow. Her hair crackles with energy and blue lines run across her arms and face, tiny lightning strikes underneath her skin.

Dr. Foster is also in her battle gear and she looks like she's lit from within. Her eyes have gone all black and Tony knows from previous testing that you can see what looks like the galaxies in them.

A bright ball of light is in Jane's hands whereas Darcy has a ball of sparking electricity.

Suddenly, both women move and the orbs meet in the middle. Just as they hit, an invisible barrier is thrown up around them. The orbs burst into a shower of sparks and light and the barrier almost shatters, but holds.

"Good, Daisy, hold it." Natasha says and Tony glances at the other side of the room to see her behind a shimmering barrier, obviously placed there by Vision. Agents May and Coulson stand beside her. He can tell that they've been working with the powered people by their tired and disheveled appearance.

His attention turns back to the inhuman trio and he watches as Daisy, with Jane's and Darcy's help, starts to compress the orbs. When it's about the size of a baseball, she releases the barrier and all three absorb the impact of the small explosion.

"Alright, let's take a break. We have a press conference in a couple hours and we all need to be well rested and ready." Natasha announces as Vision drops the barrier.

Vision heads towards the inhumans, Peter following, as Natasha heads towards Tony. May and Coulson stay across the room, talking.

"Let's go grab lunch." She tells him as she grabs his hand, interlacing their fingers as they head out.

It's only after they've eaten and freshened up, that they meet with everyone again to go over what to say.

"So far, we've had Ross tied up in the formation of our team, the revision of the Accords, and the impending rise of New Shield." Tony says as he looks around the conference table. "He hasn't had much time to plan and go after the Barton family or Lang's family. Two of my AIs, Eris and Enyo, have been monitoring them in case something happened before we could reach them. I've talked to both families and tomorrow we'll be deploying teams to two different locations to pick them up."

"That seems like an awful lot of movement." Agent Johnson speaks up and Tony nods at her as he pulls his tablet closer, clicking to the program that will run the hologram on the table.

"It seems like it, but it won't be. We don't want anyone knowing what the family is doing. I've discussed it with the families and over the past week, they've managed to move anything of sentiment. They've gotten it all packed away and ready to be transported here."

"Why do we need so many people on the teams for seven people, four of which are children?" Agent May asks.

"Because, for every person of theirs, I want two or more of ours on them. We're splitting it by skill, experience, and abilities, so that way, everything balances. One powered person to every civilian."

"So, six people to Lang's and eight to Barton's?" Dr. Foster is looking around the room like she's trying to put everyone into a slot.

"Almost. Agent Mackenzie, Agent Johnson is your partner, right? So, you're comfortable working with powered people for the most part?" At the man's nod Tony continued. "Okay, my whole team is powered mostly. I have a strain of the super soldier serum that makes me slightly more durable and faster. Natasha is even faster and more durable. Coulson, May and Mackenzie are the most human. So, team one is Eris, May, Vision, Mackenzie, Friday, Lewis, Romanov, and Johnson. Team two is Enyo, Rhodes, Foster, Rodriguez, Coulson, and myself."

"Wait, we're getting split up?" Foster asks as she reaches over to grab Darcy's hand in a tight grip.

"It's the best way to do it." Tony answers her. "That way, we've spread out the heavy-hitters, the fastest, the fliers, all of that."

"And, when we get everyone? How do we need to split up?" Coulson is the one to speak up this time.

"Good question. Mackenzie and Vison will get Nathaniel Barton, Johnson and Romanov will get Lila, Friday and Lewis will get Cooper, and Eris and May will get Laura. Foster and Rhodes will get Maggie, Enyo and Rodriguez will get Cassie Lang, and Coulson and I will get Paxton. The farm will be a little easier because it's isolated, but with a baby involved I feel more comfortable using Vision as he's indestructible and basically all powerful."

"Okay." Natasha says after he's laid out the plan. "We'll need to do a few run-throughs but as we've all been training together this past week it shouldn't be too hard to compensate. Plus, most of us have worked together at some point or at least have similar enough training."

"What about Spider-Man?" May asks.

"He has prior commitments." Tony tells her.

There is a knock at the door before anyone else can speak up and a tall woman with black hair and olive skin steps into the room.

"Ms. Ribeiro, how may I help you?" Tony stands up to greet Pepper's assistant.

"I've told you to call me Teresita. I'm here to escort all of you to Stark Civic Center for the press conference. Miss Potts has asked that I go over the talking points with each of you."

"You must've brought Sylvia and Sonia, then." He replies as two more women come into view.

"Of course she brought us." Sonia says with a grin showing sparkling white teeth. The twins had the same complexion as their older sister, along with the same black hair. The top half of Teresita's hair is pulled back into a long braid while the bottom half hangs free, the ends falling between her shoulder blades as straight as a pencil. Sonia's hair is a wild mane of curls that she's told him is nearly impossible to tame and it falls to just past her shoulders. Sylvia has wavy hair that she keeps cut in a short bob.

"We should get going." Teresita says as everyone stands up around the table. "I'll be in car one, Sonia is in car two, and Sylvia is in car three. We'll go over the talking points on the way."

 ** _Meanwhile in the Middle of Nowhere_**

Sam is sitting on one of the beds in their hotel room, watching Stark's press conference with Clint, Steve, and Wanda. There's been no word on if Lang's been captured or turned himself in so this is the only way they can find out if he went to the other side.

His eyes widen and he sneaks a glance at Clint to see if the man is going to blow a gasket as thirteen individuals walk onto the platform in a single file line, moving behind the table that's set up and taking their seats. At least one of them is supposed to be dead, from what Sam has heard.

Stark, of course, was the first to walk out so he's sitting at the very end of the table. He's wearing a dark gray suit with a black shirt and a black tie. Natasha sits next to him. She's wearing a red, high-waisted pencil skirt with a gray t-shirt. Vision sits down next to her in a black-on-black suit. Rhodes is next, wearing his Air Force uniform, thin braces on his legs to help him walk.

A young woman follows next and she wears an outfit similar to Natasha's except her skirt is black and her shirt is sky blue. Sam can't help but notice that she's quite pretty. The placard in front of her says her name is Darcy Lewis, Ph.D. Another woman sits next to her, a little shorter and a lot skinnier, wearing dark brown dress pants and a crème colored blouse. She's as beautiful as Natasha and Darcy Lewis. Her placard says her name is Dr. Jane Foster, Ph.D.

The next person to walk onto the stage sits next to Dr. Foster. He's an attractive, extremely tall, well-muscled black man. Black dress pants and light gray button down is his choice of outfits. The shirt's top two buttons are undone and the sleeves are rolled back over his forearms. Agent A. Mackenzie. A beautiful Hispanic woman wearing a fitted, red dress that covered her from shoulders to calves. Agent E. Rodriguez. A short, pretty woman in blue dress pants and a white shirt sits next to her. Agent D. Johnson. An even shorter, Asian woman sits next to her in dark purple pants and a pastel purple shirt, her no-nonsense expression doesn't hide how pretty she is. Agent M. May. An average, yet handsome looking man sits next to Agent May, his blue suit, white shirt, and black tie almost forgettable for how plain he looks. Director P. Coulson.

Progeny walks out next, her armor looking graceful as she walks across the stage to stand behind the center of the group, Spider-Man beside her. They are the only two wearing any kind of gear and he figures it's probably because Stark doesn't want anyone to know who they are. That can't be a good thing.

"This has to be a joke." He hears Clint whisper. "Since when is a scientist and her assistant superheroes? Since when is Coulson alive?"

 _"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce the New Avengers and Shield."_ A Hispanic woman holding a microphone says to deafening applause. _"I know that everyone is anxious to get to the questions but first, Director Coulson would like to say a few words."_

The woman motions to Coulson and he nods at her before beginning.

 _"I would like to start by saying that I know Shield has lost a lot of trust in the world. But, I'm here to gain it back, however long that takes. One of our first steps was to work with the Accords committee to come up with some guidelines, much like the New Avengers are facing. Some of our own agents have also signed the Accords. We're aiming for more transparency in the way we work and among our agents. I, personally, will be working closely with the New Avengers, Dr. Tony Stark, and Natasha Romanov to ensure a level of trust and transparency at all times."_

"What?" Steve asks in a whisper as if he's scared to speak too loud. "Why would he do that?"

Clint shakes his head before throwing himself against the back of the sofa and crossing his arms. The man honestly reminded Sam of a teenager in that moment. A sullen, pouting teenager, at that.

 _"We will be working closely with the New Avengers with Ms. Romanov as our liaison."_ Coulson continues. _"Now, we've called everyone here today because we would like to give the world this opportunity to get to know us. We would like to answer as many questions as possible, as long as they do not compromise global security or the livelihood of anyone in this room, us and you alike. At the moment, we are working on setting up pages on multiple social media platforms and as soon as they are up and running, I encourage everyone to take a look. We will try to post messages daily, and a video at least once every two weeks. It will feature a different hero every time and will be called 'A Day in the Life'."_

Sam tilts his head at the screen because it's an interesting tactic, opening up to the world. Making people feel like they know you so that they can relate easier and are more likely to let you help them.

"Yeah, right." Wanda says and Sam has to actively work at not rolling his eyes. "They will feed them nothing but lies and falsehoods. They manipulate and control. That is all they do."

 _"Dr. Stark,"_ a blonde reporter calls out as she stands up. _"Is it true that you and Colonel Rhodes have been developing braces and prosthetics specially designed for people that have been injured in the line of duty such as military personnel, law enforcement officers, state, federal, and international, and rescue workers such as firefighters and EMTs?"_

Sam leans forward in his seat at those words. He'd figured Stark had built the leg braces for Rhodes but he didn't know the man was involved in work like that. He thought Stark Industries was mostly involved in electronics and tech now, since they didn't work on weapons anymore.

 _"Yes, Ms. Everhart, that is, in fact, true."_ Stark answers her after glancing at Rhodes. _"Colonel Rhodes and I have been working on the technology. When Rhodey got hurt, it made me wonder, I make body armor for the military. I supply them with gadgets and technology, stuff designed to keep them from getting hurt. But, I'd never designed anything to help the soldiers and civilians after they'd been hurt. And, I decided to change that."_

As Clint and Wanda muttered under their breath, Sam could only look at the floor. He'd lost friends overseas. Not all had died, but they never really came back. That's what got him into counseling in the first place. He wanted to help people injured by the war. Now, here was Stark helping them to regain most, if not full, use of their own bodies. Sam knows that it will reduce depression, anxiety, and many other illnesses that come with war.

 _"Dr. Foster,"_ another reporter yells as he stands up. _"Three years ago, you were captured on video, along with Ms. Lewis, helping Prince Thor when the Dark Elves attacked. The world speculated about you then, but now you're a part of the New Avengers. Is that a result of the Greenwich incident?"_

 _"Um, no. No, it's not a result of the Greenwich incident."_ She answers, biting her lip and fiddling with her placard as if she's nervous. _"Joining the New Avengers is a recent turn of events. Three years ago, I was studying anomalies in London, as I'm an astrophysicist. My paper on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, and the subsequent paper on the Foster-Lewis Portal, explains the work I was doing. Two of my friends were working with me on establishing a way to bridge the gap between Asgard and Midgard, while simultaneously working towards opening intergalactic communications."_

"Great, now Stark has two more scientists to corrupt." Clint grumbles. "Evil robots, space monsters, now we're sending invitations. He's going to get us all killed."

He's trying to give the archer some leeway, since he just saw a ghost on television, but Sam's patience is wearing thin quickly. He's loyal to Steve, partially because they were both army, partially because of the Captain America thing, and partially because the man's like a golden retriever. But, sometimes, he wonders if Scott had the right idea.

 _"Director Coulson, the former Avenger known as Hawkeye was once a member of Shield. How do you feel about him being on the side of the rogue Avengers and not signing the Accords? It's my understanding that you and Ms. Romanov worked closely with him for a long time. Why didn't he side with you?"_

 _"Well, I really can't speak for my former colleague. I would also like to know the answer to that question. But, going on what I know of him, I feel okay in assuming that he thought he was doing the right thing. He's a good man. He's done a lot of good for the world. Circumstances just landed him on the wrong side of the fence without all of the information."_

Sam can't help but look at Clint as Coulson finishes speaking and the archer has his head down, staring at the floor. He doesn't look quite so angry, though. He looks more like he's thinking things over.

 _"Ms. Romanov, when you and Rogers dumped all of Shield's files online the whole world was able to access your personality assessment on Dr. Stark. I, personally, have read over your original report, and as someone who has done hundreds of interviews with Dr. Stark over the past decade alone, I have to strongly disagree with what you wrote. Do you also disagree with your original assessment or do you stand-by it?"_

Sam winces at that and Steve makes an indignant noise. That is a brave reporter and he knows it has to sting Natasha. She isn't as cold or indifferent as she likes people to think but she prides herself on her ability to see what others don't. For someone to tell her that she was completely wrong couldn't feel good.

 _"The original assessment was done under circumstances that I was not fully aware of. My superiors had not seen fit to make all of the information known and the assessment was rushed. However, I will say, the assessment was wrong and that was partially intentional."_ Natasha glances at Stark and the man nods slightly, as if giving her permission to proceed. _"Dr. Stark is an extremely valuable asset. I would go as far as to say that he was Shield's most valuable asset. Former director, Nick Fury, was aware that there was something wrong inside of Shield, but he didn't know who to trust, or what was wrong. He asked me to observe Dr. Stark over a period of 72 hours and write a quick assessment. I did as he asked, not knowing that he was worried about an internal threat. However, I learned, after 80 hours of observation that Dr. Stark was ill and the illness was causing his erratic behavior. He was reverting back to the behavior he'd displayed in his early-twenties in an effort to save those close to him from the pain of possibly losing him. After learning of this, I went to Fury with the information and we had a private meeting with Dr. Stark. After learning that we knew of his illness and were willing to help in any way possible, he began to work on getting himself better. The assessment he read after that time was my original assessment, and the only assessment that was ever recorded. Fury and Director Coulson, who was my handler at the time, decided it was best if we kept Dr. Stark apart from Shield and letting him read that report helped to keep him away. I did not question my superior's decision. I feel confident that it was the right move to make, but no, I do not agree with the original 72 hour assessment."_

"Dammit." Steve hisses between his teeth, clenching his fists. "She never told me any of that."

"Why should she have?" Clint asks, speaking up again. "She's my best friend, or she was, and she never told me. Why would she have told you?"

"Because I'm the leader. I need to know these things." Steve says as he glares at the television screen. "Everything could have been different if she would have just told me."

"Not really." Clint says with a scoff. "I made some stupid ass remarks on the raft, but even I knew that report was bullshit. But, I didn't think Nat was wrong. I just thought Stark changed."

"People don't change like that." Wanda spits as she glares around the room.

"People change all the damn time." Sam adds with a sigh, shaking his head as he tries to focus back on the press conference. "They have to, or the world wouldn't make any progress."

 _"Ms. Lewis,"_ an eager young reporter calls out as they stand quickly. _"You and Dr. Foster disappeared from the public eye for a year, leaving word with the scientific community that you were going to study the Einstein-Rosen Bridge from the Asgardian side. What was that like and is that where you and Dr. Foster gained your powers?"_

Sam perks up because he wasn't aware that the women had powers, he just thought they were working with Stark or something.

 _"No, actually."_ Lewis says with a smile. _"As I'm sure most of you are aware, there has been a rise in people with powers that call themselves Inhumans. Dr. Foster and I are both Inhumans. We didn't learn of this until just over a year ago, when our powers manifested. Prince Thor was in Asgard, visiting family, when he heard of what happened. Since we didn't want to alarm anyone, or accidentally cause harm, he offered to take us to Asgard where we could learn about our new abilities and how to control them in a safe environment. Studying the Bridge was just a very big bonus. For a year, we trained with Prince Thor and Lady Sif. It was a very educational and awe-inspiring experience. Not to mention, I would've never met the love of my life if I didn't go."_

 _"Ms. Lewis,"_ another reporter jumps in and Sam knows the question they're going to ask. The media loves a good love story. _"Who's the lucky man?"_

 _"Oh, no. There's no lucky man."_ Lewis says and Sam's confusion is mirrored on the faces of everyone in the room and a good bit of people on screen. _"Definitely a lucky lady, though. Or well, goddess, I should say. After all, Sif is best known on Midgard as the goddess of war."_

Sam can't help but smirk at her deadpan delivery and the room full of reporters all start yelling questions. So, the world has just been introduced to their first openly gay superhero. He's honestly looking forward to what he'll see online and other news networks. He may not like being replaced by the New Avengers and he may not like being on the run, but he can admit to feeling a certain amount of glee and pride at such a public display.

 _"Settle down, please."_ Stark says, getting all of the reporters to quiet down. _"Now, I know that Darcy will get some backlash, along with the New Avengers. But what I want to tell you, here and now, is that she has our full support. Darcy Lewis is one of us, that's all there is to it. And we stand by our own."_

The reporters _'awe'_ and cheer as Lewis gets up and makes Stark stand before wrapping him in a tight hug that he easily returns. Tears are sparkling in her eyes as she beckons Natasha forward. To Sam's surprise, Natasha gets up and gives Darcy a hug from the side. Dr. Foster soon joins in, standing directly behind Lewis and wrapping her arms around the other woman's waist.

Slowly, Rhodes gets up, at Stark's urging, and joins the hug. Spider-Man is next, then Johnson and Rodriguez. Progeny joins quickly, then Vision. Mackenzie, Coulson, and May all hang back but their expressions show different degrees of amusement and fondness.

As the hug starts to break up, Lewis slips from the center and rushes Coulson, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as his eyes widen and he pats her back uncertainly before whispering something that's blocked from their view. Lewis laughs before leaning back and saying something to May who nods and rolls her eyes before stepping slightly closer to Coulson.

Johnson makes her way over as Lewis steps away, and they turn to face the reporters. The three of them look like a unit, a family. Rodriguez breaks away from the group hug and puts an arm around Mackenzie as they face the crowd, leaning into him in a way that shows a long-standing comfort between them.

Natasha stays beside Stark and they also turn to face the reporters. Rhodes is one the other side of Stark as Vision stands behind Natasha and Progeny stands behind Stark and Rhodes. Since she's almost a foot taller than them, she's not blocked from sight. They, too, look like a family unit. Sam thinks about mentioning it, but decides against it.

His eyes are drawn back to Lewis, who now has one of her arms linked with one of Foster's as they lean their heads together. They look close. Looking at the stage, it's like looking at individual family units within one big family unit and he knows that the former team looked nothing like that. They were never close enough for hugs and leaning on each other. They were never close enough for unconditional support.


	17. Chapter 17 - Where I Sleep

**_A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait. I've been struggling with this chapter and then I got sick. Updates will start coming regularly again, though. Enjoy._**

 ** _There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, there's nothing that I won't do for your kiss,_**

 ** _I love you like there's no tomorrow, 'cause nothing ever felt like this,_**

 ** _There's nothing I won't steal or borrow, I'll travel on a boat or airplane,_**

 ** _I'll explore a world of sorrow, 'cause when I find you I know, I know I'ma be okay,_**

 ** _See the times are changing, and I'm sure of nothing that I know,_**

 ** _Except this is us, and this is love, and this is where I'm home,_**

 ** _In a world that's breaking, where nothing is for keeps,_**

 ** _Oh, this is us, this is love, and this is where I sleep,_**

 ** _This is us, this is love, and this is where I sleep,_**

 ** _I'm from a generation undecided, I'm restless and I can't help changing lanes,_**

 ** _But in all the noise and the excitement, your love is all that will remain,_**

 ** _I've said all of my goodbyes to ego, I gambled all I got, there's no plan B,_**

 ** _It's the first time that I've learnt to let go, it's the only place I feel, only place I feel like me,_**

 ** _See the times are changing, I'm sure of nothing that I know,_**

 ** _Except this is us and this is love, and this is where I'm home,_**

 ** _In a world that's breaking, where nothing is for keeps,_**

 ** _Oh this is us, this is love, and this is where I sleep_**

 **** ** _Where I Sleep – Emeli Sande_**

As Natasha's suit opens on the quinjet, she steps out and takes a seat next to Laura Barton. The mission has gone smoothly so far and the Barton family are on their designated quinjet, heading towards the compound. Lewis is sitting on the other side of Laura, Lila sitting next to her and asking questions quicker than Darcy can answer.

Natasha can tell that the young girl is getting tired, though. Nathaniel is already asleep, strapped into his car seat that is strapped into the quinjet seat. Vision sits next to the baby, one hand on the car seat as if to secure it further. Cooper is half asleep, leaning against Mack as the large man talks quietly to Daisy. Everyone still has their comms on and connected to the AIs, but are mostly ignoring each other's conversations.

"Widow, there appears to be a helicopter on course to the Barton farm." Morana, Natasha's AI for her suit of armor, says through her earpiece. Natasha gets up with a slight smile for Laura, though the woman can obviously tell that something is up. She knows this life and she knows Natasha.

Making her way to the front of the quinjet where May is sitting behind the controls, she leans over to speak to the woman so no one else can hear her unless they're wearing an earpiece.

"Morana picked up a chopper headed for the farm. Vision, I need you to stay with the family in case something goes down. You need to make sure they stay safe. No matter what. I'll take Friday and Eris outside with me and secure a perimeter around the quinjet." Natasha says in a low voice so that her voice doesn't carry. She doesn't want to worry anyone unnecessarily.

May nods slightly as if Natasha was speaking directly to her. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she could see that no one had outwardly reacted to her words and everything still appeared normal. Cooper's fallen asleep completely, leaning on Mack, and the large man has his arm securely around the boy. Laura has her arm wrapped around Lila as Darcy moves slightly closer. Vision has one hand closed around the handle of Nathaniel's car seat and she knows that he won't let anything happen to the family.

Leaving the front of the jet, she gets back into her suit and lets it close around her as Friday's and Eris's suits step away from their docking bays and meet her at the back of the jet. She debates getting Morana to call Tony but she doesn't want to distract him while he's on his own mission. She really doesn't like them being separated, even though it's happened countless times before and she never had a problem with it. She supposes that's what happens when you start developing feelings for someone in their line of work. You know the danger they face at any given moment and it's worse than anything you could come up with if you didn't know the job.

Natasha has worked on both sides of the fence and she knows the lengths people will go to if something they want is out of their reach. She's seen it with the KGB, the Black Widow program, and Shield. But she's not the type to sit passively while someone she cares for is in trouble, either. And she knows Tony would never go down without a fight. She's seen what he's capable of and between the two of them and their new team, she has no doubt they'd be the victors.

Flying out of the back of the quinjet while it was over eight thousand feet in the air is an interesting experience. Her suit is made to withstand a higher altitude and she's sure that it has something to do with Tony's trip through the portal, but she hasn't asked and she doesn't know if she should. But dropping into the sky at such a height is an exhilarating feeling. Not feeling the wind was slightly strange the first few times, but the feeling was quickly overcome at the feeling of her body being able to maneuver through the sky so freely. The suit was amazingly fast, able to break the sound barrier when needed. She'd even done it a few times, flying beside Tony and Friday.

Now, she focuses mainly on stealth, Friday and Eris doing the same. Their suits are equipped with a stealth technology ten times better than Shield had ever had. Now that the organization is working alongside the New Avengers, Tony has been hired as a consultant once again and is slowly making new tech for them. He's already made better body armor for the agents, similar to what he supplied the military, law enforcement agencies, and others with similar jobs. He was still staying away from lethal weapons but he did help Shield with their Icer tech and non-lethal stunning weapons.

As she flies higher into the sky, Friday and Eris following her lead, they space out, creating what Tony had dubbed the Triangle of Death. Natasha stay closest to the back of the jet, letting Morana control the radar to detect any incoming, as Friday and Eris move towards the front and sides of the jet. One at a time, they will fly down, a few hundred feet below the jet, then back up above the jet, creating a constant yet undetectable wave. It wasn't perfect but it's close.

"Nothing on the radar so far." Natasha reports back to everyone on comms. She receives affirmatives from her two companions, Vision, and May.

The three females continue their Triangle of Death as the jet speeds through the night sky towards home. About forty-five minutes away from the Compound the comms crackle and Natasha can't help but smile when she hears Tony's voice.

"Did you miss me?" He asks her. "What am I saying, of course you missed me. It's me."

She lets out a small laugh and she hears several other voices join hers. The comms go silent again and they land at the compound thirty minutes later.

"Coulson says debrief can wait until morning." May says to them in her usual, no-nonsense tone.

"Sure." Tony says as he watches the Bartons unload from the quinjet. "Mrs. Barton."

"Mr. Stark." Laura says with a weary smile. "Please, call me Laura. And thank you so much for your generosity, for letting us stay here."

"Sure." Tony says again because he's never been good with thanks and would much rather prefer people to accept his gifts and favors without words. The acceptance is enough of a thank-you in his mind, though it irks Natasha. She knows that their former team is less than appreciative when it comes to what Tony gives them. She knows that she's been less than appreciative but she's trying to change that.

Without letting herself think too hard about it, Natasha reaches out and grabs Tony's hand, lacing their fingers together as they wait for the two families to gather around them. Tony glances at her and smiles slightly but then looks straight ahead again and doesn't comment. As soon as the two families reach them, they turn towards the Compound and head inside.

"Okay, so, for now, I have two apartments free near Lewis and Foster." Tony tells the group that follows them. "Renovations are ongoing in the other two wings. Your access cards are waiting for you on the kitchen counter. Blue is for the adults, green for the kids. If you need anything just ask Friday, she'll be able to relay the message to where it needs to go."

"Thank you." All three adults tell him and Natasha smiles slightly at his uncomfortable look.

"I'm sure you're all tired so we'll let you get settled in." Natasha says, leading Tony back down the hallway as the families go into their new apartments.

When they get to their room, Natasha heads for the shower while Tony checks his email and other messages. It doesn't take her long to wash off and she's back in their room, a new silk robe that perfectly matches her emerald eyes is wrapped securely around her with matching lace panties underneath. She doesn't know when Tony got either items, or when he'd had them placed in their room, but she likes them. Judging by the feeling of the material as it glides across her skin, it is an expensive set.

There was no tag to check, so she has no idea how much it cost or the brand. Not that any of that matters. Though, it does fit perfectly as if it was tailored just for her.

Tony steps past her and goes into the bathroom as he's talking to Friday, dictating replies to messages. She hears the water turn on in the shower and she heads for their closet, which is actually the size of a small bedroom.

As she opens the door to the closet, she pauses for a minute. She's positive that there's more clothes in there than what was there previously. She can't tell how much more, but she knows it's more and that it's been done recently.

"Friday?" She calls out softly as she takes note that some items still have tags on them. Expensive tags. "Are there more clothes than usual in here?"

"Yes, Natasha. Boss thought it was a good idea for you to have some new clothes and he told me to order based on your previous choices in clothing. I used the scans on record from your uniform fitting."

"Okay." Natasha replies as she takes that information in. She supposes that it's okay, it's Tony's money after all. And she really does like the new robe.

Shaking her head slightly, she moves further into the large closet. Everything seems to have been arranged according to classification, style, and color. Her shoes are also arranged in a similar fashion and she notices a few extra pairs of those, too. The clothing items that are a complete outfit are separated into another section.

On the wall that faces the bedroom, there's a long counter with shelves above it. In the center of the counter, there's a space set up as a vanity area. A small alcove under the counter top allows Natasha to sit comfortably in a chair that faces the counter. Over half of the wall behind the counter is mirrored and the counter on either side of the chair has drawers lining the front all the way to the floor.

Sitting in the chair, Natasha pulls out a face moisturizer and a leave-in conditioner for her hair. She applies the moisturizer first, then adds the conditioner to her hair. The conditioner smells like honey and lemon. She cleans her hands off before selecting a lotion, milk and honey. Dropping the robe, she slathers the lotion all over her body.

Natasha retrieves the robe and puts it on the hook that is on the back of the closet door. She crawls under the covers seconds before Tony comes out of the bathroom in a pair of red boxer briefs. He slides under the covers with her and she moves to her usual position, her leg thrown over his hips, her arm around his waist, and her head on his shoulder. She feels him press his face to the top of her hair and breathe deeply and a smile slides across her lips.

Tony's heart beats in her ear as his arm wraps around her back, his hand playing with her hair. His other hand moves to her waist, sliding along her skin softly. Looking up, Natasha meets Tony's soft brown eyes and her breath catches softly. The sparkle he used to have is slowly coming back and it's beautiful. Pressing up, she presses her lips against Tony's softly. It's barely a kiss, their lips just resting against each other.

It only takes a second, and then Tony is deepening the kiss, his hand tangling in her hair as his other hand tightens on her hip. She pushes herself up towards him as his hand moves from her hip to her thigh and he maneuvers her so that she's straddling him. She doesn't hesitate in moving her hands to cup his jaw as she licks her way into his mouth.

He turns quickly, putting her on her back and he falls between her thighs, using his arms to keep his weight off of her. Natasha is having none of that, though, as she drags her bare feet up his calves and the backs of his thighs to press into his buttocks. He gasps at the contact and she moves her feet back down, resting her thighs around his hips and holding him to her as she arches her back. Tony's lips move over her jaw and down her throat and her fingers dig into the bare flesh of his back.

"Tony." She manages to gasp out and he pulls back to look at her. It feels so right to be here with him like this. For this to be happening. She moves her hands around to his chest and runs her fingers down his body until she can grasp the waistband of his underwear.

Natasha tugs at them lightly, making sure that Tony is comfortable with where this is going. He nods and lifts up, helping her remove the material before gripping the lace material of her panties and sliding it down her body.

Slowly, so slowly, he lays back down on top of her and gives her the gentlest kiss she's ever received. The care he takes makes her eyes burn with unshed tears. Blinking away the moisture, she lifts her head and presses a kiss to his mouth again, nearly panting as he moves a hand down her body to between her legs, testing her readiness.

He groans when he makes contact with her core and then he's drawing back to look at her again as he uses the same and to guide his erection to her center. The feeling of him entering her, so slowly, is nearly overwhelming as she stares into his dark eyes. She would have never thought that she'd end up here, naked underneath Tony Stark.

When he's fully seated inside of her, he stares at her, a look of wonder in his eyes. He doesn't speak, though, and neither does she. He starts to move, a gentle rocking of hips, and she moves with him. They take it slow, not rushing towards a finish. Light moans and shallow gasps accompany whispered words as Tony makes love to her.

Natasha feels her orgasm rise leisurely, a calm wave building as Tony moves inside of her, his eyes never losing contact with hers. He comes before her and she can feel him pulsing which sets off her own orgasm. She doesn't want to look away from him and she holds his stare until his arms shake and threaten to give out. He slides out of her and moves to the side to lay on his back, breathing hard. She rolls over, too, and resumes her previous position of throwing one leg over Tony's hips and an arm over his stomach.

Resting her head on Tony's chest once more, listening to the beat of his heart, Natasha starts to fall asleep, the beat lulling her into a state of relaxation. This is what home feels like. This safe, warm, comforting place.


	18. Chapter 18 - Hard to Love

**_I am insensitive, I have a tendency to pay more attention to the things that I need,_**

 ** _Sometimes I drink too much, sometimes I test your trust,_**

 ** _Sometimes I don't know why you're staying with me,_**

 ** _I'm hard to love, hard to love, oh, I don't make it easy,_**

 ** _I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood,_**

 ** _I'm hard to love, hard to love,_**

 ** _You say that you need me,_**

 ** _I don't deserve it but I love that you love me good,_**

 ** _I am a short fuse, I am a wrecking ball,_**

 ** _Crashing into your heart like I do,_**

 ** _You're like a Sunday morning, full of grace and full of Jesus,_**

 ** _And I wish that I could be more like you,_**

 ** _I'm hard to love, hard to love, oh, I don't make it easy,_**

 ** _I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood,_**

 ** _I'm hard to love, hard to love,_**

 ** _You say that you need me,_**

 ** _I don't deserve it but I love that you love me good, love me good,_**

 ** _Girl, you've given me a million second chances,_**

 ** _And I don't ever wanna take you for granted,_**

 ** _I'm just a man, I'm just a man,_**

 ** _Hard to love, hard to love, oh, I don't make it easy,_**

 ** _And I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood,_**

 ** _I'm hard to love, hard to love,_**

 ** _And you say that you need me,_**

 ** _I don't deserve it but I love that you love me,_**

 ** _Hard to love, hard to love, oh, I don't make it easy,_**

 ** _And I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood,_**

 ** _I'm hard to love, hard to love,_**

 ** _And you say that you need me,_**

 ** _I don't deserve it but I love that you love me good,_**

 ** _You love me good,_**

 ** _You love me good_**

 ** _Hard to Love-Lee Brice_**

T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$T$

As Tony slowly wakes up, the first thing he notices is that Natasha is still curled around him but she's not asleep. Her small hand is tracing patterns over the scar tissue where the arc reactor used to be. Her green eyes slowly meet his and he can't help but just stare at her. He doesn't know what to say, or what last night was for her. He doesn't know if it was a one-time deal or not. He only knows that the feelings he's felt for her have increased exponentially and yet he's still hesitant to give them a name. Giving something a name almost guarantees that things will change. Tony doesn't want anything to change.

"I can feel you thinking." Natasha says in a low tone.

"Genius never stops." He tells her just as quietly.

"Mm." Is the only response he gets from her as her hand stills and she sighs contentedly. Or, it sounds contentedly. He hopes.

"What's on your agenda for today?" He asks her after a moment of silence.

"Nothing really." Natasha's voice is even quieter and he thinks that maybe she's falling back to sleep. "At some point, we have to do a debriefing with Coulson. And I'd like to talk to both Maggie Lang and Laura."

"Yeah. We should sit down and start making plans for the long-term." He tells her as his mind shifts directions and starts rearranging his schedule so that he can call Pepper and discuss putting Laura, Maggie, and Paxton on the payroll. Then he'll present them with the options. He also needs to talk to the parents about schooling options since the kids will have to transfer somewhere else. He doesn't want to isolate them but he's not sure about sending them to a public school. Maybe a private school.

"Vision and Darcy have been collaborating on team building exercises." Natasha says, interrupting his thoughts.

"Team building exercises?"

"They think, and I agree, that we should get to know each other better. Strengths and weaknesses, things like that. The mission last night was a success and we did that by training together but we need to be able to work as a cohesive unit on the fly. Hence, team building exercises."

"That actually sounds like a great idea."

"Good. Then I'll give them the go ahead to start working on some ideas." Natasha says as she rolls over and gets out of bed. She doesn't try to hide her nudity, she never has, but now he knows her body intimately. He can't take his eyes off of her as she heads for the bathroom.

Tony hears the shower start a second later and he thinks about joining her but his phone goes off and he rolls his eyes.

"Fri, give me the most urgent first." He tells his AI and she slowly brightens the room.

"A Dr. Ambross from the U.S. Embassy in France is requesting a conference call at your earliest convenience. Scott Lang has turned himself in. They are discussing when to transfer him to the United States, or if he can be transferred at all."

Tony can already feel the headache forming at the mention of the man's name. Great. Just what he needed to start his day off right.

"Let Natasha know and ask her how she wants to proceed. Run facial recognition, gait recognition, and voice recognition on the surrounding areas for signs of Rogers, Barton, Maximoff, Wilson, and Barnes. Include large cities in the biggest countries in Africa."

"Started, Boss. All data will be sent to your tablet."

"Good girl." Tony tells her because he believes in positive reinforcement. "Schedule a call with Pepper, let her know it's about adding three individuals to payroll and give her the information she needs to find suitable jobs for James Paxton, Margaret Lang, and Laura Barton. Ask her for, at least, three options for each individual."

"Got it, Boss." Friday says as Natasha steps out of the bathroom, dressed for the day in tight jeans and a green t-shirt.

Tony gets out of bed and heads for the shower as she steps into the closet to do her hair and make-up and grab a pair of boots. She stops him with a hand on his arm as he walks past her and raises up slightly to press a kiss to his lips. As he walks into the bathroom, a grin spreads across his face.

Showering quickly, Tony gets dressed, noticing that Natasha has already left to start her day. As he's walking down the hallway, he converses with Friday through his earpiece.

"Fri, call Dr. Ambross and schedule a call for this afternoon and get me the report on Lang's arrest. Ask Natasha to meet me in my office in an hour and tell her I'm also inviting Maggie Lang and Paxton to the meeting." He says as he checks his messages and emails on the tablet in his hand.

"Yes, Boss." Friday says as he gets an incoming message from Friday with the attached report he'd requested. She works fast, he's gotta give her that.

Stepping into his office, Tony began reviewing some paperwork for SI that Pepper had sent him, signing off on what he can and flagging what he needs to review. A knock on his door startles him and he looks up to see Natasha walking in with Maggie and Paxton right behind her. Once they are all seated in front of his desk, Tony dives right in.

"Scott's turned himself in to the U.S. Embassy." He says as he looks between Maggie and Paxton. "I have a call scheduled with someone at the embassy to discuss the matter but I wanted you to know before the news got a hold of the information. That way you can decide what to tell Cassie, if anything."

The couple doesn't say anything for a minute, seemingly processing the information as they look at each other.

"Now, if you don't want to have any contact with him at all, I can make sure that happens. But, if you want to open a line of communication, for any reason, I can make that happen, too. The decision is completely yours to make, though." He tells them.

"Can we have some time to think about it?" Maggie finally speaks up in a hesitant tone.

"Of course." He tells both of them. "And I want to make it clear that whatever choice you make, you can always change your mind. All you have to do is say so. No one will judge you for the choice you make regarding this or if you change your mind."

"Thanks." Paxton says as he reaches over and grabs Maggie's hand to comfort her. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. I think it would be prudent to speak to Scott in person but I've never met the man. I was wondering if there was anything you could tell us about him, personality wise, which would help us in our approach. We want him to speak to us but I don't know if he's the type of person that responds better to negativity or positivity."

"Well," Paxton begins. "I'd probably start by sending in someone he doesn't know but seems friendly. Maybe younger like Miss Lewis or Agent Johnson. He'll feel comfortable around them and not so intimidated."

"Okay. What about myself or Natasha?"

"With your rivalry with Pym Tech. I don't think you would be a good choice until after someone else has spoken with him. And there's really no telling what he's heard about Agent Romanov from your former teammates. Fresh faces would be best because he would be less biased towards them."

"Okay. Thank you." Tony says as he leans back in his desk chair, lacing his fingers together and laying them on his stomach. "Now, I wanted to talk to the both of you and Laura about schooling for the children. I know that you may not be comfortable with sending them to a public school, I'm definitely not. I was thinking about getting you some information on private schools in the area or homeschooling."

"Oh, you don't have to do all that. You've done so much already." Maggie tries to wave away his concerns but with Natasha's help he convinces them to at least think about it.

When they finally leave his office, he feels a little bit of the weight on his shoulders shifting to be more bearable.

"Has Coulson set a time for a debriefing?" Tony has never really liked debriefs but he knows the necessity and he's willing to suffer through them for the good of the team. There's always room for improvement and though the mission went off without a hitch, he knows that can't always be the case. The teams need to learn to work together and individually, without prior planning, to reduce the possibility of civilian casualties if and when an emergency situation occurs.

"Friday said that your call with Dr. Ambross is set for two p.m. this afternoon so I asked Coulson to reschedule the debrief for three p.m. Also, Darcy and Vision have requested that we hold an informal meeting after the debriefing to discuss team building exercises."

"Sounds good." Tony stands slowly, stretching his muscles and joints from sitting in the same position for so long. Even when he's on a science binge, he needs to move around. "Talk to Coulson beforehand and ask him what he thinks about who to send in to talk to Lang. Bring it up with Lewis, too. We need to know if she has any training in interrogation or if she's strictly trained in battle."

"Sure thing." Natasha says as she stands and moves closer to him as he rounds the desk. He leans back against it and she fits herself up against him, her feet placed between his so that she's as close as she can get to him. "We'll learn what we can from Lang and go from there. We'll find Rogers and his team and we'll bring them in."

"Yeah." Tony sighs as he wraps his arms around her waist and presses his forehead to her shoulder. He's leaning against the desk, so he doesn't have to bend his neck uncomfortably. One of Natasha's hands moves to his hair and her fingers weave through the strands.

"Boss, Colonel Rhodes is on his way to your office and Miss Potts has asked that you call her at your earliest convenience. She has the information you requested and she wants to discuss an upcoming meeting she has scheduled with Miss Hope Van Dyne." Friday says and a second later there's a knock on his open office door. He looks over and spots Rhodey, walking with his new braces and a cane.

Natasha pulls away slightly and presses a quick kiss to his cheek before pulling away completely and straightening her back. She turns around and nods at Rhodey with a "Rhodes" and walks out of the office. When Tony is sure she's out of ear shot he looks at Rhodey and narrows his eyes slightly.

"What was that?" He knows his best friend isn't a big fan of Natasha and he understands why so he's not really mad about it.

"Nothing. We had a talk when you first got back from vacation is all." Rhodey says as he pushes the door closed and settles himself into one of the chairs in front of Tony's desk.

"Awe, platypus, did you ask her about her intentions?" Tony asks him in a teasing tone.

"As a matter of fact, I did." Rhodey tells him seriously, a hint of a smile on his lips. "But I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here because I talked to Pepper about her upcoming meeting with Hope Van Dyne. I'm pretty sure she wants to help with the search for the former Avengers and possibly wants to join the team. At least, on a case-by-case basis. Her mother was Wasp, if you remember."

"Yeah. I do." Tony says with a sigh as he sits back at his desk chair. "I guess it's worth hearing her out."

"I think it is." Rhodey says with a nod. "And I don't know if you've talked to Vision since yesterday but he and Friday came across a man by the name of Dr. Stephen Strange while going through the former Shield's Index and cross-referencing it with incidents worldwide. Strange wasn't on the Index but he was involved with an incident apparently not on this plane of existence. Vision thinks we should set up a meeting."

"Wait, what?" Tony asks as he tries to process exactly what Rhodey just said. He's seen a lot since the portal opened over Manhattan but he's kind of glad he can still be surprised. "Okay. Why was he involved in an incident not on this plane of existence and how does Vision know that?"

"Well, you know that Vision has been researching the mind stone and trying to figure out what, exactly, he's capable of and his limitations. Friday has been assisting him and they learned that the stones leave a trace of their essence, for lack of a better term, on people and things they come into contact with."

"Okay. So, people that have come into contact with the stones can be tracked." Tony says, an idea forming in his mind.

"Sort of. But, Vision found evidence of someone nearby that holds a different kind of stone. He and Friday traced its origins and found Dr. Strange. I'm not sure how they discovered that he was involved in something. Vision tried to explain it but I think the stones communicate, essentially. If they're near enough to each other, anyway."

"Sentient stones?" Tony asks. "That could be helpful. Maybe."

"Yeah." Rhodey looks exhausted and Tony sympathizes. "So, Vision and Friday think we should contact Strange. At the least, he might be able to help capture Wanda. And Vision could use the help in understanding the mind stone."

"Okay. Set it up. You call him, or get me his number and I'll call him. I'll talk to Pep about setting up a meeting with Hope Van Dyne and I want you, Natasha, and Coulson there. If she's going to work with us, I want others opinions and input. We can't have this one person vetoing everything. This has to be a democracy of sorts if it's going to work."

"I agree." Rhodey tells him as he goes to stand up. "Tell Pepper to come by for dinner tonight. I've noticed that some of the more recent residents can use a night of fun. We'll have a big dinner and watch a movie or something. All of us."

"I'll be sure to pass the message along. And I'll get her to bring Happy. He'll bring Peter and Ned, too."

"Friday, remind Tony of the debriefing when it gets close to time." Rhodey says as he's walking out the door and Tony squawks indignantly but ends up laughing at the look Rhodey throws over his shoulder.

With a smile, Tony gets Friday to call Pepper and he leans back in his chair as he waits for the call to connect. He'd woken up worried but so far the day has been good. Here's hoping it stays that way.


	19. Chapter 19 - The Only Exception

_**A/N: I am so sorry for the delay, I have not abandoned this story but life definitely got hectic for a minute. I'm back now and I hope everyone enjoys this update.**_

 ** _When I was younger I saw my daddy cry, and curse at the wind._**

 ** _He broke his own heart and I watched, as he tried to reassemble it._**

 ** _And my momma swore, that she would never let herself forget._**

 ** _And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist._**

 ** _But darling, you are the only exception._**

 ** _Maybe I know somewhere deep in my soul that love never lasts._**

 ** _And we've got to find other ways to make it alone, or keep a straight face._**

 ** _And I've always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance._**

 ** _And up until now I have sworn to myself that I'm content with loneliness._**

 ** _Because none of it was ever worth the risk._**

 ** _Well, you are the only exception._**

 ** _I've got a tight grip on reality, but I can't let go of what's in front of me here._**

 ** _I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up._**

 ** _Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream._**

 ** _You are the only exception._**

 ** _And I'm on my way to believing._**

 ** _Oh, and I'm on my way to believing._**

 ** _The Only Exception-Paramore_**

"Natasha, Miss Lewis is on her way to your office." Friday says as Natasha looks up from her computer screen. She's been going through old mission files and archiving them and her eyes are getting tired of staring at the words. With Shield starting over, they wanted to go through every mission, every file, and dig out when Hydra operatives had been involved in anything. That included going over Avenger mission files.

In order to get the best possible picture, they needed to know who was involved in what, where, and what time. They needed to know what sort of position the Hydra operatives had been in and how that affected the outcome of said mission, if it did at all.

Luckily, between FitzSimmons, Friday, Vision, Jocasta, Tony, Coulson, and Natasha herself, they were able to formulate an algorithm that separated the files into categories according to the lead on the mission, the team on the mission, and the handler at Shield headquarters. From there, the files were split between Agents Mackenzie, Johnson, May, Rodriguez and FitzSimmons. After they identified which missions contained known Hydra operatives, they were separated again, along with suspected Hydra operatives and handed over to Director Coulson, Tony, Natasha, and Fury to review again. It's tedious and time-consuming but it has to be done.

Yesterday they'd done the debriefing from their first mission and set up about a dozen meetings, including Lang's interrogation, which is scheduled for tomorrow. Pepper had sent the three women that came for the press conference, the Ribeiro sisters, to talk to Maggie, Paxton, and Laura about working for Stark Industries.

"Okay, thank you, Friday." Natasha says as she saves her work and leans back in her chair. She isn't getting much done today since her mind keeps drifting to what happened when they'd returned home from the mission. She's always thought she'd stay on her own. That she would let her career take over a large portion of her life, be 'married' to her work, as it were. But she can slowly feel that shifting.

Her office door opens and Darcy steps inside with a large grin on her face as she tosses a small ball of electricity between her hands. The younger woman is wearing a nice pair of black jeans with gray ankle boots and a blue t-shirt.

"What can I help you with?" Natasha asks Darcy as she takes a seat in front of Natasha's desk.

"So, you're the mystery woman that's been in the gossip rag pictures with Tony." Darcy says letting the electricity absorb back into her skin. It looks like lightning moving below the skin, an interesting effect.

"Yes." She answers because she has no reason to lie and is wondering where this line of questioning is going.

"How come you haven't made it public yet?"

"We're making sure that things get a little more settled before rocking the boat again. And we have no plans to make an announcement. We're going to let it happen organically."

"You really think the media is bright enough to put that together?" Darcy asks her with a laugh. "They're going to say it's a publicity stunt, or you're helping him hide his real relationship."

"Maybe." Natasha shrugs as she looks Darcy up and down, thinking about her file and the degree in political science. "How would you feel about working with the Ribeiro sisters on the public image of the New Avengers and New Shield?"

"What?" Darcy asks her, sitting up straighter. "But, I'm already assisting Jane."

"You collate her data twice a week, Darcy. And we won't take you away from that. You'll have one or two meetings a week with the sisters where you update them on anything going on, within reason and that affects our public image. You can coordinate with Coulson, Vision, and me beforehand for a review of the information you're giving them. I've looked over your social media accounts and I think you'd be good at it. Plus, candid shots go for a lot of money."

"Can I think about it? Maybe talk about it with you, Jane, Vision, Coulson, and Tony. I'd like to get a better understanding of what it is you want me to do. Then I'll talk to the sisters." Darcy has another ball of electricity in her hand but it is small, about the size of a quarter. She keeps rolling it over the back of her hand and into her palm only to do it all over again.

"Of course." Natasha tells her reassuringly.

"So, how is sex with Tony?" Darcy asks out of nowhere. "I bet it's great."

Natasha stares at her for a moment, her face blank as she debates on whether to answer or not. Normally, she'd shut down that type of inquiry or figure out what the person wanted and use it to her advantage. But Darcy's becoming a friend. Darcy's grin only gets wider the longer Natasha stays silent so she rolls her eyes and gives in.

"Yes. It is. But that's all I'm telling you."

"Sure." Darcy says as if she doesn't believe it for a second. "Until we have girls' night this weekend."

"What are we having?" Natasha has never participated in a girls' night. Or anything remotely similar.

"A girls' night. All the women in the compound are hanging out in the common room near my and Jane's apartments. And the guys are all hanging out in the one near your rooms with Tony."

"Natasha, Boss is on his way to your office to discuss the details of Lang's interrogation. And Miss Lewis, Dr. Foster would like me to tell you that her lab results indicate that the bifrost may be about to open."

"Thank you, Friday." Natasha says as Darcy stands up and heads for the door, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, thanks." The brunette murmurs as she leaves Natasha's office. Tony steps to the side to let her leave before stepping into the office and shutting the door.

Natasha stands to greet him and he surprises her as he rounds the desk and wraps his arms around her, one around her waist, and the other around her shoulders. She return the hug as he buries his face against her neck and breathes in deeply before letting out a shuddering breath. She's confused enough about his reaction that's he doesn't say anything, just wraps her arms more tightly around him and squeezes.

"Tony?" she questions as they stand there, holding each other. He doesn't move away from her but he starts to speak in a low voice.

"Just give me a minute." He whispers and she holds him tighter in response. After a moment, he steps back and moves around her desk to take a seat. "So, Lang's interrogation. How do you wanna do this?"

"I think that we should send in Lewis, Johnson, and Mackenzie. Lewis and Johnson can play up the 'just another pretty face' angle while Mack acts as muscle. Despite most likely knowing that both women are inhuman, I believe he'll underestimate them. In my experience, if you have a man and a woman in the same room, no matter the man's demeanor and size, he'll be perceived as the bigger threat." Natasha tells him with a slight shrug. She'd be more offended if assumptions like that haven't worked to her advantage so often. "Lang's fought against me so he knows that I pose a threat. He's never met Lewis or Johnson."

"As horrible as that sounds, it's realistic." Tony agrees with a shrug of his own. "We want to throw him off balance, but not enough that he clams up. And if Johnson can throw in some references to her past work as a hacktivist, maybe he'll commiserate or feel the need to impress her and give us something we didn't know we needed."

"You're good at this." Natasha grins at Tony. She's always found it interesting how he reads people and then interrogates them without them realizing he's doing it. "I think I like it."

"Oh, yeah?" He asks her as he stands up and moves around her desk. She stands up, too, turning around and backing up against the desk as he crowds into her space. He plants his hands on either side of her as he leans forward. His lips are just pressing against hers when they're interrupted.

"Boss? Miss Lewis has an urgent message from Heimdall." Friday says in an apologetic tone.

"What's the message, Fri?" Tony asks as he steps back slightly, still close, but no longer pressing into her space.

"It appears that, according to an ancient prophecy, Asgard is going to be destroyed and Dr. Banner has been found on another planet. Heimdall is unaware of the exact date or time but wishes to bring his people to earth until they can find another home. They also have other matters to discuss with the New Avengers and New Shield but have not disclosed details." Friday says, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

Natasha puts one hand on Tony's jaw and he leans into the touch as his eyes close. Her heart hurts while also feeling elated that they have news of Bruce. The hurt she felt at his leaving is still there, but she's also happy that he's been found, for Tony's sake. She knows they were close.

"Okay, Fri. Tell Lewis to try to get an estimate on the number of Asgardians and I'll see what I can figure out from here."

"Tony?" Natasha calls to him and he turns his attention back to her, still standing in front of her but already pulling away. "It's going to be fine."

Tony starts to nod but Natasha can tell that he doesn't necessarily believe her. So, she uses her free hand to grip the front of his shirt, her hand that's on his jaw sliding to the back of his head and into his hair as she pulls him forward. He comes willingly enough and she crushes her lips against his. Her kiss isn't slow or gentle, but hard and demanding. She pours everything she feels for him into the kiss. Her frustration, her passion, her loyalty, all of it goes into this kiss because it's the only way she can reassure him that she feels he'll believe.

Pulling away slowly, she blinks up at him, noticing that his fingers are digging into her hips as his hips press tightly against her.

"I'm not going anywhere, Tony." She tells him, making him look her in the eye, before she leans up for another kiss. This one is softer, a reassurance. "I'm here."

When Tony leans back this time, he stares at her for a moment, his eyes soft, before he closes them and presses his forehead to hers.

"I'm glad you came back." He tells her in that quiet tone that he uses when he thinks she might flee, as if she's a frightened, cornered animal. And she thinks that that's exactly what she's been most of her life. A frightened, wounded, scared, and wild thing. "You can always come back."

Natasha pulls away slightly so that she can look into his eyes. She reads the truth there, as he stares back at her, reassurance coming from him in waves. All the pain and betrayal he's experienced at the hands of those he cares for and he still offers her this. A home, a place to be. Someone that cares for her.

"Tony, I will always come back." She tells him. She won't say that she'll never leave, because he doesn't want to make a promise she's not sure if she can keep. But she can say that she will come back if she does leave. "No matter what, I will always come back."

"Okay." He says, nodding and pulling her back into his embrace. She goes, easily and freely. They have to discuss this ne turn of events, but for now, she's happy to stay here, in his arms, with this new understanding between them.


End file.
